Vampire Energy – What Is It and Why Should You Care?

Excel Homes is committed to building energy-efficient and environmentally friendly homes. Here is an easy tip to benefit your pocket book (and the planet)!

Did you know that most appliances continue using electricity even when they are turned off? This inadvertent use of energy is referred to as Vampire Energy. It happens when an electrical device has an external power supply. This can be avoided by simply unplugging your appliances or using an energy saving Smart Power strip. Smart Power strips work to reduce your power usage by shutting down power to products that go into standby mode.

Source: science.howstuffworks.com

Cellphone chargers, microwaves, coffee makers, TVs, and DVD players are some of the worst contributors to Vampire Energy. The cell phone charger is the easiest to unplug, saving you 1 watt of energy. This may not sound significant, but when you have 2 or more appliances plugged in, it can add up to a lot of wasted power.

One of the most alarming vampire energy contributors is the television. This is a device that will take extra effort to unplug, but it will make a huge environmental impact. Plasma TVs can suck up over 1,4 kilowatt hours annually, which could cost you over $15. How many televisions do you have in your home?

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You’re probably wondering what the impact will be on your energy bill, and it’s quite significant. If a family of 4 unplugged and stopped Vampire Energy they could save approximately $421 a year. The numbers speak for themselves and living green seems like a great way to start 214!