Beware of Home Energy Phantoms
According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, energy "phantoms" use five percent of our domestic energy and cost consumers more than $3 billion annually.
What is an energy "phantom?" It's a term that refers to an electric appliance's invisible 24/7 energy consumption while plugged into the wall but not in use. Invisible energy use is on the rise; the biggest culprits are home electronics: TVs, DVRs, DVD and CD players, computers, printers and phone chargers to name a few.
The U. S. Department of Energy says about 75% of electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off, yet plugged in. Reducing phantom energy use may be inconvenient, but if you know the biggest energy thieves you can weigh your options. Did you know:
Desktop computers in standby mode use about four times more energy than laptop models. When not in hibernation, desktop computers can add nearly $200 annually to your electric bill, according to Conservation Consultants.
Large plasma TVs consume as much energy each year as a new refrigerator, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. If you recently replaced your cathode ray tube TV with an LCD, your TV energy use is likely to at least double. The good news: Energy Star-rated TVs use about 30% less electricity than standard TVs.
Phone and appliance chargers are also significant invisible energy users. If your phone charger is warm, you can be certain it's using electricity.
What to do? Energy Star estimates that today's home electronics may account for about 14% of your energy use. If you unplug non-essential culprits when they are not in use, activate power saving options on your computer and buy energy-efficient products you take the first steps to reducing invisible energy use and making your home a phantom-free zone.