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As sweltering summer heat waves drive up electricity bills due to increased air conditioning, many people are looking for tips and tricks to save money on utility bills. Adjusting your ceiling fan correctly can make a big difference when it comes to cooling, but there’s an easier way to reduce your electricity usage all year long: unplugging appliances like your TV, computer, printer, coffee maker, or even your electric toothbrush.
Even when you’re not actively using these devices, they’re using your electricity. The energy used by these devices while they’re not actively being used is often called standby power, but it’s also known by other names, such as phantom power, shadow power, quiescent power, or even vampire power. This constant use of power drives up your monthly electric bill.
There is a simple solution: unplug your devices when they are not in use. According to the US Department of Energy, By unplugging these appliances, the average household can save up to $100 per year.
Below, we’ll explain how much money you can actually save by unplugging your appliances, and whether the energy savings are worth unplugging and plugging them back in every day. (To maximize your energy savings, we’ve also got tips on how to lower your water bill , the best temperature to set your thermostat to save money , and how to do laundry the energy way to lower your energy costs .)
Can I save money by unplugging appliances?
It may seem counterintuitive to unplug your devices. After all, they are turned off, so why should they be using energy?
It is a fact that household appliances still use energy even when they are switched off but still plugged in, according to Energy.gov. Whether the device is turned off or in standby mode, some of the worst culprits include:
- A device that may still be consuming energy in the form of lights or other displays indicating that the device is turned off
- Desktop computers that have been put into sleep mode instead of being turned off
- Chargers that continue to consume power even when the device is not connected
- Media players that are constantly consuming power, especially those that are still checking for updates in the background
- Telephones with displays that indicate when they are not actively being used, such as cordless telephones
- New smart home appliances such as refrigerators, washers and dryers with always-on displays, internet connectivity and electronic controls
Check this out: Simple Ways to Reduce Your Energy Bill and Save Money
Reduce your standby power to save electricity and money
Many people are shocked when they realize how much standby power can add up. Standby power accounts for 5% to 10% of residential energy consumption, according to the US Department of Energy.
How much you save may depend on how many devices you use — and your habits with those devices. For example, an educational experiment by Colorado State University found that a combined radio/CD/cassette player used 4 watts continuously, whether in use or not. By unplugging it when not in use, you save 100 times more power over the lifetime of the appliance.
A study published by the Council for the Defence of Natural Resources (PDF) found that reducing the burden of always-on appliances would save consumers a total of $8 billion annually and conserve 64 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. It also has environmental benefits, such as preventing 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution. The NRDC estimated the cost of always-on appliances to average $165 per household per year.
Buying a smart plug can help you save energy by controlling the power of virtually any device you plug in. This plug from Leviton is CNET’s top pick.
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How can I optimize my standby power?
The first step, of course, is to unplug anything that is not actively being used or is not used often. Examples of devices that are easy to unplug include TVs and set-top boxes in guest rooms. It is also generally easy to unplug media players when they are not in use, such as a radio or CD player. When you unplug your device from the charger, it can help you get in the habit of unplugging that charger as well. You would also be surprised how many devices we have plugged in that we no longer even use. Examples of these include old cordless phones, old media players, or lamps that are more decorative than functional.
Unplugging and plugging everything back in can be a pain, especially if your outlets are in hard-to-reach places. If the outlet is inaccessible, it becomes difficult to keep up.
Instead, you can also set up ways to make the process of turning off phantom power more automatic. You can plug devices into surge protectors. That way, with one press of the power switch, you can turn off multiple devices. You can also get timers for plugging devices in or smart plugs so you can automate when power is turned on for a device. For example, you can schedule the time for the TV to turn on so that it only turns on during peak usage times like evenings or weekends.
You can also look into getting Energy Star ProductsMany of these products have lower standby power consumption than products that are not Energy Star rated.
Find additional resources to save electricity
As energy bills become increasingly high and erratic over time, it is more important than ever to find ways to save on electricity costs. In addition to unplugging your home appliances, you can also check out our guide on turn off the lights when not in use. Another important way to improve your electricity/heating bill is to know what the ideal temperature you should set up for your home. You can also check out our guide on quick tips to save on your gas and electricity bills, for example by turning down your boiler or replacing your air filters.
