TAMPA, Fla. — October is National Energy Awareness Month and with Halloween being on the horizon, Tampa Electric (TECO) reminds consumers to be on the lookout for “energy vampires” sucking the life out of customers' electricity bill.
Energy vampires are electronics and appliances that constantly use electricity, even when they are not actively being used, such as cell-phone chargers or televisions.
A typical home has about 20 energy vampires. The phantom or standby load created by energy vampires can add about 5 percent to the average electricity bill, according to national estimates – which is roughly $3 billion annually.
TECO says there are several ways customers can stake through the heart of energy vampires and save a few dollars on their power bill:
- Plug digital video recorders (DVRs), gaming consoles or cable set-top boxes into a power strip and turn the strip off when they are not in use. (Annual savings = $32)
- Screen savers are not “green” savers. Turn off your computer, laptop and printer if you won’t be using them in the next two hours. (Annual savings = $16)
- Plasma televisions produce nine times more phantom load than newer, energy-efficient LED TVs (Annual savings = $8)
- Cell phone and laptop chargers use energy, even when not charging a device. Unplug them and other appliances, like coffee makers and electric toothbrushes, when not in use. (Annual savings = $6)
For more infomation and tips on energy efficiency, click here.