#phantom load

Confession – time…

I touch other people’s stuff.

Ok, clarification: I unplug my friends’ and family’s electric appliances… I unplug my roommate’s electric toothbrush, our community kitchen appliances; and if I walk into my boyfriend’s apartment and see an electric razor or i-pod charger that’s not in current use they’re getting yanked too. (Sometimes accompanied by a short lecture on why that’s wrong .)

Phantom load is the term used when appliances utilize energy when they’re not being used. So, despite switching the off or standby button - they’re draining needless energy. Everything from coffee pots to cell-phone chargers are energy vampires.

The typical home has about 20 devices that drain extra energy daily. The impact from one household is fairly minimal, but collectively the cost across the nation is HUGE. According to the EPA, the phantom load costs 10 billion in energy costs annually.

What can you do? • One idea is to use a surge protector. A power strip will make it more convienent to turn all your electronics off at once. • Scour your house and check out every electric outlet. Do you really need that toaster oven  plugged in? Or the alarm clock you only use on weekdays? • Another way to identify some of your energy vampires is by turning off the lights at night and check out the ‘glows.’ Any appliances that light up are using energy. You’ll likely find at least a few things you don’t really need on when not in use. • Use devices that have the energy star label. They’re approved by EPA and will use less energy (even when they’re off.) • Do the math: Money talks – especially when it’s yours and you’re wasting it. Consider getting an energy audit or check out energy star’s online yardstick. You’ll get an idea of how much you’re spending and will be inspired to cut costs in areas easily controlled.

What are the biggest culprits to watch out for? The television set (especially big flat-screens) rank #1 on the list of energy suckers, followed by home computers and printers. It’s difficult to unlplug the TV and computer everytime, but small “unplugs” can add up.

Posted by Beth

Did you know that your home is full of energy vampires?

Also known as phantom load, vampire appliances are things like cell phone chargers, microwaves, and even flat-screen TVs that continue drawing power from wall outlets even when they appear to be switched off.

The Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge has launched an energy vampire education campaign, just in time for Halloween! Flyers and posters that urge kids and their families to go on a "vampire scavenger hunt" around their homes are being distributed to schools and libraries in each of 14 towns participating in the Challenge. 

In a press release about the campaign, Neighbor to Neighbor Program Manager Kerry O'Neill explains why the program is so vital: 

“The amount of energy – and money – wasted through vampire draw is downright frightening. Each year, it takes the combined output of 17 power plants to power devices that U.S. homeowners think they’ve turned off, from microwaves and coffeemakers to flat-screen TVs and cell phone chargers. Our vampire campaign will empower kids and their families to reduce energy costs in a fun, interactive way.”

More about Neighbor to Neighbor: The Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge is a community energy savings program made possible by a $4.17 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, funded as part of the BetterBuildings initiative, whose mission is to create a self-sustaining building energy upgrade market. With more than $500 million in federal funding, Neighbor to Neighbor is one of 41 state and local government programs providing high quality energy improvements to homes and businesses across the nation.