What is Phantom Electricity and How Does It Impact Your Electric Bill?

Phantom electricity is power that is consumed by all those electronic appliances and devices you have in your home when they are either in standby mode or entirely turned off, but still plugged in. Phantom power, sometimes referred to as vampire or ghost power, is what keeps such things as your alarm clock going, your television settings intact and even your microwave or VCR clock ticking. Though it appears this ghostlike power is necessary, it certainly comes with a bit of a price tag.

The idle current that makes up the vampire power is simply wasted power since the appliances or devices are either turned off or simply not in use. Most homeowners are unaware of the fact that when you leave your unused devices, appliances and the likes plugged in when not in use, they definitely contribute to a higher monthly electric bill. Typically, phantom electricity makes up nearly 25% of all your home energy consumption and certainly has an environmental impact as well.

HOW TO REDUCE PHANTOM ELECTRICITY

In today’s homes there are a plethora of devices, appliances and electronics that are used. With that said, high electric bills are common to nearly every household. However, when you are able to reduce or even eliminate your phantom electricity you are sure to benefit not only your budget and wallet, but the environment as well. Gervais Electric, Inc. wants to share a few easy tips to help you minimize the phantom electricity in your home.

• Unplug Appliances, Electronics and Devices Not in Use – One of the most common culprits of vampire electricity is that of telephone chargers. When you are not charging your phone, the electricity is still flowing through your plugged-in charger even if it is disconnected from your phone. Typically, households have more than one phone charger plugged in, which means the wasted energy is even more. Get in the habit of unplugging your charger once your phones have been fully charged.
• All those Fun Kitchen Appliances – Any appliance that plugs in is capable of producing phantom electricity. Whether your toaster, blender or your favorite mixer, any device that has a plug or cord should be unplugged when not in use to avoid additional phantom power and phantom charges. This holds true for any other devices or appliances in your home that have cords. Make it a point to unplug any devices that are not in use.
• Good Old Stand-By Mode – Many people are of the impression that when their printers, laptops, or computers are in sleep mode or stand-by mode that they are not using energy or electricity. People tend to give favor to this state since they prefer not to have to completely power down their computers, laptops or printers. Although it may be quite enticing to take advantage of these settings, they are still partially in the on mode and still utilizing electricity without having the capability of performing typical functions. When you turn off all your devices, not only do you reduce your phantom electricity, but you save money on your monthly bill as well.
• Smart Power Strips – For all your larger electronics, entertainment systems, Surround sound systems and video game consoles, it may be difficult to unplug them all the time, especially since many of them have plugs and cords that are well hidden out of sight. With that said, being that they use the greatest amount of phantom electricity, an ideal solution for minimizing the usage is that of smart power strips. Contrary to regular power strips, state of the art smart power strips actually prevent the flow of any electricity when the devices, systems or the likes are not in use. These innovative strips are more than perfect for multi-device units and systems you may have because they can all be simply plugged into one single strip.

For more information on phantom electricity or if you are in need of any type of electrical products or services, be sure to reach out to Gervais Electric, Inc. We look forward to serving you and to providing you with the highest quality products and services this side of Franklin.