Vampire Power, it loves to drain your energy!
Vampire Power, it loves to drain your energy!
What is Vampire Power? Let us help you not fall victim to it this year thanks to Power Compare!
Vampire power goes by other names too like standby power, vampire draw, phantom load, ghost load or leaking electricity! It all means the same thing, it’s the way electronic devices consume power even in standby mode.
We think shutting the cover to the good old ipad or switching off using the tv remote means we’ve done our bit, no power usage for us right?! WRONG, let’s get out the garlic and wooden stakes and protect our households against Vampire Power! Because this isn't like the tv shows, it's not very attractive!
We might not have heard too much about it over here but it’s a real issue that could be unnecessarily draining your pockets with each power bill! Studies show that most of your appliances consume power in standby mode, what we think is saving us is actually costing us!
What is standby mode?
The most important thing to remember is Standby mode does not mean the power is OFF to that device or appliance. Standby mode needs a small amount of electricity to power certain part of your device like a light, or a remote-control receiver. Basically, standby allows those devices to be ready to roll when we are.
A great example of vampire power in action is cell-phone chargers. What do you think goes on when it's plugged into the wall continuously? It consumes energy even if there is nothing to charge. Food for thought!
How much does it cost?
Although your mobile phone or toothbrush may not be that much of a threat when it comes to vampire power, the habit of leaving your appliances continuously plugged in most certainly can. For example, research done by Kiwi power provider Pulse Energy showed that the average home can spend up to $100 on standby mode each year!
Think about what you’d rather spend that $100 on? Surely not something you aren’t even using!
Over longer periods of time, even many TV models and microwaves consume more electricity during standby hours than while actually being used.
Top tips on how to not fall victim to Vampire Power
- Turn those sneaky appliances off at the wall
- Invest in energy efficient appliances
- Read our 7 top tips on how to reduce your power bill in the cold weather
- SWITCH – it’s the quickest way to save money. Find a power plan and provider that might just offer you a better deal for a better price. Switch, save and smile with Power Compare.
Need help to compare what's out there?
That’s ok, sometimes we have enough on our plates and don’t have time to go slay Vampire Power issues! Give our friendly NZ based Customer Support Centre a call on 0508 226672.
They’re here to support you in making a fully informed choice about what provider and plan is right for your needs. Hassle free, obligation free and just FREE full stop. Let us help you tick a job off the list.
Switching providers can save you money and time on your power bill, it's always worth a look when money is involved.