Is your home wasting watts?
Many of our home appliances and other electrical products continue to draw power even after they’re turned off. In fact, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, this “standby power” accounts for an estimated 8 percent of U.S. household electricity use. The average household tab for that comes to roughly $80 per year. Here's how to identify products in your home that may be drawing standby power, and some practical tips for reducing it.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
First, use the table below to identify which products in your home are drawing standby power and how much energy (and money) you stand to save by reducing it:
| Look for: |
Examples |
Power used in Standby mode |
Potential energy savings per year* |
Potential savings per year* |
| External power supply (the black boxes that plug into a wall outlet) |
Cell phone chargers, computer peripherals |
3 to 10 watts |
18 to 58 kilowatt hours |
$1.94 to $6.26 |
| Built-in rechargeable batteries |
Cordless telephones |
3 to 10 watts |
18 to 58 kilowatt hours |
$1.94 to $ 6.26 |
| Remote control devices |
TVs, VCRs, ceiling fans, audio equipment |
5 to 25 watts |
29 to 146 kilowatt hours |
$3.13 to $15.77 |
| Continuous digital displays |
Clothes washers, microwave ovens, VCRs, TV set-top boxes |
10 to 25 watts |
58 to 146 kilowatt hours |
$6.26 to $15.77 |
| Products that feel warm even when turned off |
DVRs, TV set-top boxes |
10 to 30 watts |
58 to 175 kilowatt hours |
$6.26 to $18.90 |
| Products you may leave on when unneeded |
Accent lighting, fans, computer printers and scanners |
5 to 50 watts |
29 to 292 kilowatt hours |
$3.13 to $31.54 |
*assuming device is in standby mode for 16 hours each day
Then, decide if it makes sense to unplug it. Unplugging devices that draw power when they’re not in use can help trim your electricity use. However, some products, such as the set-top box on a TV, and others with digital displays, may not be practical to unplug because they require reprogramming each time they're plugged back in. Once you've decided which devices to unplug, if they're located near each other, you can save time by plugging them into a power strip or surge protector that can be turned off with a single switch (surge protectors still protect against power spikes when plugged in, even if switched off).
You can also make a difference when buying new appliances and electronics. Here’s what to look for and what to avoid:
Look for the Energy Star label. Most of these products use less energy for standby operation. To find qualifying products and where you can buy them, visit the Energy Star Web site. You can also consult the U.S. Department of Energy’s online database of manufacturer-supplied information which lists the amount of standby power used by specific products.
Avoid energy-using features you don’t need, such as refrigerator ice makers, wireless sound speakers, and extra cordless-phone charging bases.
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