For centuries, folklore, fairy tales, and horror movies have taught us to be afraid of vampires because they’ll suck your blood or turn into a bat and fly madly around your home. In that regard, we have some good and bad news. You don’t have to be afraid of the Hollywood vampire — they’re not real. But you should be afraid of a different kind of vampire: the kind that sucks your electricity.

What is Vampire Electricity?

It has plenty of other names, but this term refers to the electricity that is wasted by appliances and gadgets that, although they’re turned off, still use energy. If that doesn’t scare you, this might: vampire electricity can sometimes account for 20% of your energy bill. Think about that — you’re paying for electricity you didn’t even use.

What are Electricity Vampires?

There are probably dozens of electricity vampires all over your home, and you don’t even realize it. Two huge ones are wall warts and bricks. Wall warts have big plug boxes, such as a phone charger, and bricks have large boxes between cords, often laptop chargers or TVs plugs. When left plugged in, these vampires constantly use energy.

Other Vampires Include:

• Cable boxes
• Video game consoles
• Standby coffee machines
• Appliances with standby lights or clocks.

How to Control Vampire Electricity

Unplug Your Devices

Does your phone charger really need to be plugged in when you’re not home? No, it doesn’t! Unplug chargers and other devices you don’t often use so they’re not using more energy and hiking up your utility bill.

Use Power Strips

Once you flip the switch to “off” power strips actually cut the power to appliances plugged into them. If you purchase smart power strips, they’ll automatically cut the power when they can tell a device isn’t being used.

With 24 years of experience, TFC Electric Inc. can help you keep all the members of your family safe from electrical harm. Since 1994, we have been serving Suffolk County with any and all electrical needs. Call us today at 631-589-2800 for more information.