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Vampire Appliances & Phantom Loads: Scary energy leeches that are in your home…

Saving on your energy bill is something everyone wants to do. A few people may think it’s not worth all the effort just to save a few pennies over the course of the year. But if you look at these leeching appliances, you can see that they’re often taking a lot more than you think.

What is a Vampire Appliance?

A vampire appliance is an electrical item that continues to drain power and add to your energy bill even when they’re off or in standby mode.

What is a Phantom Load?

A phantom load is similar to a vampire appliance. It’s a term to describe a load of energy that’s being leeched by appliances that are left on standby.

A List of Vampire Appliances or Phantom Loads:

  • Televisions
  • Microwaves
  • Gaming Systems
  • Computer Monitors
  • Alarm Clocks
  • Printers
  • Coffee Machines
  • Phones (& the charger)
  • Kettles
  • White Goods (Dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers)

A vampire appliance or phantom load applies to any appliance that has a clock, standby light or digital display that continues to run whilst it’s actually meant to be off.

How To Reduce Unnecessary Energy Consumption

The easy option is to turn these devices off at the plug, or unplug them when they’re not actually in use. Yes, you may have one less clock in your life, and yes, you may get annoyed when you have to get up to turn the TV on. But you’ll be very happy when you see a lower energy bill. If you’re good at turning off your TV, gaming system and microwave for a whole year, you could save £20 – £30 on your energy bill. The options are limitless.

A great way to do this is to put all these phantom loads onto one power strip. You could put your TV and Xbox on one power strip, and switch it off at the end of the night. A little extra work to save yourself some energy.

Another way to save energy is using smart power cables. They automatically switch off the energy when they realise the appliances are not in use. You could pop your microwave and kettle on there and save yourself a few pennies.

Make sure to not plug multiple power cables into one another though, as you might be worse off than before and could cause an electrical fire.

More Energy Saving Tips:

  • Switch off the lights! Yes, I may sound like an annoying parent telling you to switch off the lights. But it actually works. Switching your old bulbs to new, more energy efficient ones will help you in the long run also.
  • Use your appliances in full. You’ll use more energy when doing two half loads in your dishwasher, rather than waiting and doing a full load.
  • Running your appliances at a lower temperature can conserve energy. Why not try doing a lower, more economical 30°C degree wash sometimes?
  • Choosing more energy efficient appliances will help you in the long run. If your appliances are rated A or more, you’re more likely to save water and money on your electric bill over the course of the year.
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