Did you know that phantom power can cost approximately the same amount as running a second fridge? Also known as phantom load or standby power, phantom power is the energy consumption that is being drawn by many household gadgets, electronic devices and appliances while they are switched off or not in use, but plugged in.
Here are five tips from Hydro One to reduce the energy consumption in your home:
- The most effective way to eliminate standby power loss is to unplug your devices when they are not in use.
- An easy way to turn your electronic devices all the way off, and limit standby power use, is to plug all electronics into a power bar that can be easily switched off.
- Look for the Energy Star label whenever you buy new electronics or appliances. Energy Star identifies the most energy efficient products, which reduce energy use even in standby mode.
- Unplug battery chargers as soon as a device is fully charged or when the charger is not being used.
- If you have pay-TV services, you will probably want to keep your cable television converter powered up at all times, otherwise you risk rebooting problems.