Want to hear something spooky this Halloween?
A recent BC Hydro survey shows that ‘energy vampires’ can suck unnecessary amounts of power from your home and you won’t even know until you open your electricity bill!
They say some devices, including electronics and appliances, continue to draw power even when they’re turned off and can account for up to 10 per cent of a household’s bill.
According to BC Hydro, the average home has more than 25 devices that draw vampire power, from televisions to gaming consoles and coffeemakers.
Here’s how to pull the plug on vampire power in the home:
- Unplug products that are not in use – disconnect guest TVs and turn off game consoles when not in use. A set-top box and video game console left plugged in costs about $36 a year.
- Use a power bar with timer – plug electronic devices into a power bar with a timer to shut them off automatically.
- Look for the energy star label when purchasing home electronics, they use less electricity and typically have built-in power-saving features.
- Disable computer screen savers by activating the sleep mode instead of using a screen saver that uses twice as much energy.
- Recycle old electronics at the return-it depot to save up to $30 per year in standby power costs.