Does unplugging things save money? Vampire energy, explained

Vampire energy is another name for standby power, electricity used while a device isn’t in use.^⁠[5] In household electricity, you may also hear it called phantom power.^⁠[6] These names describe a device’s low-power state, rather than how much it uses during its main task.^⁠[1]

A device may keep a clock running or listen for your remote.^⁠[2] Network standby can maintain an internet connection while the device isn’t doing its main job.^⁠[6] That can be useful, so first ask which functions you still need.

Entertainment equipment and computers are useful places to check, rather than assume a saving.^⁠[5,7] Start with older equipment you rarely use or seasonal devices left unused for months.^⁠[7] The model and its selected mode need checking before you decide what to switch off.^⁠[5]

Open the appliance cost calculator. For standby, use a reading from the actual low-power mode you’re checking.^⁠[1]

Standby cost depends on power, time and the charges tied to your electricity use.^⁠[3,4] First find your electricity use and rate on the bill. Use the charges per kilowatt-hour (kWh), the unit that measures electricity use.^⁠[3,4]

• Estimate the energy. Multiply average standby watts by unused hours, then divide by 1,000 to get kWh.^⁠[3]
• Estimate its variable cost. Multiply those kWh by the applicable charge per kWh for that usage.^⁠[4]
• Keep the assumptions visible. For a hypothetical example, assume a constant 1 watt over 24 hours a day for 365 days. That’s 1 × 24 × 365 ÷ 1,000 = 8.76 kWh a year.^⁠[3] This is arithmetic, not a measured device or a typical saving.

Match each portion of use to the charge that applies to it.^⁠[4] Ask your utility which charges change with use if your plan is hard to follow. Keep that estimate separate from a promise about your total bill.

Use a compatible plug-in meter to check an accessible, suitable device in its low-power mode.^⁠[1,5] Follow the meter and device instructions and their load limits. Leave portable heaters and other large heat-producing devices out of this test.^⁠[10]

Unplugging can remove an unused device’s standby draw when it’s safe to disconnect.^⁠[2] The energy you avoid depends on the measured power use and how long the device stays disconnected.^⁠[3] Any bill change then depends on your charges and billing setup.^⁠[4,9]

Start with built-in settings before adding a purchase to the task. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory recommends enabling computer sleep mode.^⁠[7] Check the manual before going further: unplugging could erase settings or programmed data.^⁠[5]

• Check that the device has finished any function you still need before disconnecting it.^⁠[5]
• Preserve maintenance that needs standby power. LG’s OLED Pixel Cleaning is one manufacturer example.^⁠[8]
• Leave the device powered if the lost function matters more to you than removing its idle draw.^⁠[7]

A control helps when it safely cuts an avoidable draw without interrupting a function you need.^⁠[2,5] Choose it after checking the device and its manual, rather than assuming every plugged-in item needs one.

For a smart control, compare the energy avoided with the control’s own use over the relevant time.^⁠[13] Include the purchase price in your decision too. A convenient switch can be useful, but it doesn’t establish a payback period by itself.

Keep equipment powered when you rely on its medical, safety, communication or food-storage function.^⁠[5,16,17] Leave these devices out of standby shutoff experiments. Needed power is a reason to keep a device on.

• Medical equipment: keep needed equipment powered and follow its provider’s instructions. FDA notes that many home medical devices need electricity, and interruptions can reset settings.^⁠[16]
• Alarms and needed communications: preserve the power needed by your alarm system, phone base or Wi-Fi.^⁠[5]
• Refrigerators and freezers: leave them on for normal food storage. Federal food-safety guidance warns against eating perishables that weren’t kept properly refrigerated or frozen during a power outage.^⁠[17]

Finish with the device you checked, rather than trying to clear every outlet. Keep a useful function, change a setting, or disconnect compatible unused equipment. The right next step follows what you need and what you actually measured.

After you check standby devices, look at your account as a whole. You can connect your existing utility account. See how your energy use changes over time and spot opportunities to cut back. Our service is completely free.^⁠[18]

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