Nearly 23% of electric usage in American homes comes from standby power.

No matter how careful you are, vampire appliances may be why you are getting high monthly bills.

So, here’s how to stop energy vampires.

What Are Energy Vampires?

Energy vampires are those devices and appliances in your household that contribute to idle load electricity.

When they are left plugged in, they suck excess power, causing surges in your bills.

However, it may not be possible to unplug each device after every use. Especially for larger appliances, you need to find other ways to cut down on phantom consumption.

How to Stop Vampire Power?

As you enter a new year, you can take these five resolutions to prevent vampire appliances from hogging more power than necessary.

Unplug Your Smart Devices After Charging

Most households have multiple smart devices, which consume a lot of power. Charging them is an ongoing process at any given time.

The good news is that modern charging times are short, but many users forget to unplug them once done. They may also leave the devices overnight, leading to wastage of standby power or energy leaks.

So, the economic approach is to unplug all the energy vampires, such as hair dryers, or put your desktop computers in sleep mode when you are not using them.

Buy ENERGY STAR Appliances

One way to keep the vampire appliances in check is to buy ENERGY STAR labeled products with the highest electric efficiency qualifications and performance standards.

Although you can’t replace all your existing devices with ENERGY STAR models, consider it for large appliances like the washing machine or refrigerator.

These versions are more efficient than traditional models, and they carry the expected power costs on the labels. Hence, you can slim down your energy bills.

Invest in Smart Plugs

Use home automation technology to control bigger appliances from your smartphone. You can switch specific devices from on mode to off mode, depending on the need.

Even when you are not around, you can prevent the use of standby power remotely. For example, you are away and want to record a show or your favorite blockbuster on your TV, turn on the cable box and have it ready when you get back.

Use Power Strips

Your home may have several phantom appliances, and it doesn’t make sense to turn them off one-by-one every day. Prevent electricity seepage with power strips that can switch off the power supply to specific devices at once.

They work like the surge protector power strip you use for your desktop computer to protect its components. Connect a bank of vampire appliances with consolidated cords and save electricity easily.

Use Your Discretion

You use the refrigerator all day, and it needs constant power, but other devices or appliances may not. Identify such lesser-used items like the coffee maker or microwave and unplug them after using them to avoid phantom energy draws.

Even if you follow all these tips on slaying energy vampires, it is crucial to find the right electricity plan to lower your bills. Compare and shop low-rate electric plans on Shop Texas Electricity.