As the autumn season approaches, homeowners are beginning to adjust their heating systems and devices to ensure they are prepared for its effects. However, there is a silent energy drain that accounts for an additional 10% energy use, increasing the electricity bill. Termed as phantom power, one starts to wonder how to avoid this. There’s good news: you can actually save energy by unplugging gadgets, potentially saving 200 kWh this fall.
What is this phantom power? Why is it so important to manage your gadget usage?
This fall, it’s vital to learn all about what this phantom power is. Phantom power is simply due to a device that draws power even when it appears to be turned off. It is not a new phenomenon to know that modern devices have been designed recently to keep them functioning in a semi-useful state when they are not fully “on.”
This ensures that various smart widgets and applications run while they are inactive, such as WiFi connections, sensor alerts, and hotspots, among others. All these do not come without a cost of continuous energy consumption, which over time tends to consume considerable energy.
Understanding phantom power could be the only way to condition its impact on your overall electricity usage. Paying attention to devices that draw power without your knowledge and disconnecting them from the power supply when it is not in use could save you a lot.
Identifying the top 5 phantom power drainers in your home
Though not all devices draw the same amount of phantom power, paying attention to the ones that draw the most power is relatively important to ensure you save as much as possible on your electricity bill. You can also adopt this Vortex, providing free energy at homes. Let’s take a look at the five power drainers.
- Microwave ovens: This device can easily be overlooked because of its infrequent usage, but in order to keep its digital clock and control panels active, it still uses power. To prevent this, unplug when not in use or immediately after use.
- Desktop computers and printers: Computers, printers, and other peripheral devices consume considerable power while in standby mode. Shutting them down completely or unplugging them from the power supply will solve this issue.
- Chargers: When chargers from phones, laptops, tablets, and other devices are plugged in, they will still draw electricity even when they are not being used with a device. Leaving chargers plugged unnecessarily creates phantom power waste.
- Game console: After gaming for a while, game consoles are used in low-power mode or to stand by if there is a break. These modes still draw power even though they are not using energy. To limit energy use, unplug the console when it is used for gaming.
- Televisions and cable boxes: A lot of televisions and cable boxes consume power even when switched off, a good example is the smart TV, which uses power to ensure its sensors are kept on. Do well to unplug when you are done watching your favorite program.
How unplugging these devices can lead to significant savings
Simply unplugging these five devices can reduce the phantom power consumption in your home, cutting it in half. Over a fall season, this is about 200kWh per household. Not only will saving energy put money back in my pocket, but it will also help reduce overall energy demand and environmental impacts. Just a few minutes a week can save money, let alone time, spent worrying about your electricity bill.
Phantom power is a silent contributor to energy consumption in homes, so it is imperative to identify key gadgets that have similar impacts and unplug them, and also adopt the new photovoltaic era. By doing so, you can save yourself from unnecessarily increased bills. So this fall, make sure to take your time, unplug those devices, and enjoy the benefits.
