7 Ways to Slay Power Vampires
By Steven Castle
Standby power wastes energy and money, but there are easy ways you can save.

Vampire power is the phenomenon that occurs when home electronics or appliances continue to consume power - even when they're "off."

This is caused by ghostly apparitions, pixies and blood-sucking ghouls who perpetrate this when we leave our electronics alone or go to sleep.

Just kidding. Standby, phantom, or vampire power is caused by digital clocks, LED lights, remote control sensors and other circuits in electronics that remain active when the device is shut "off."



According to a recent report by McKinsey Global, "Standby power consumes an estimated 6 percent to 8 percent of residential electricity in the United States, equivalent to 130 to 170 terawatt hours per year. Standby power accounts for 10 percent to 90 percent of a device's total consumption, depending on the product." In other words, if you leave something plugged in all the time but it's only "on" for a small amount of time, it could consume more electricity in its "off" state. That just isn't right - and it will cost you money. Here are some ways you can save.

Remote Control It
Belkin’s clever Conserve surge suppressor (shown) features controllable and always-on outlets, but its big selling point is the wireless remote control switch that cuts power to the controllable outlets.

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