Did you grow up in a household where you were told to unplug everything every time you left the house? Though we may have thought our parents were crazy, the truth is, there is some merit to this habit. If you turn off all the electronics, lamps, and other plug-in devices in your home, they are still using power, even though you’ve pressed the “off” button. This wasted power is referred to as phantom energy, or sometimes as standby power, and it equates to roughly 10% of your energy bills every year! That means if you pay $1,000 a year in energy bills, $100 of that is most likely from phantom energy. The only way to cut off the use of power completely is to unplug, or at least it was. Today’s technology makes saving energy a bit simpler, so you don’t have to run around the house trying to remember if you unplugged everything. Most households rely on many electronics and need power strips to provide additional outlets. Smart Power Strips look the same as any old strip but have a magical capability that others do not: they can cut phantom energy usage without unplugging. How does it work? There are several brands of Smart Power Strips on the market today, but most operate essentially the same way. There are several outlets on the strip, just like a regular strip, but each has a different ability. You may have an outlet or two on your strip that will stay powered, which you might use for things like your Wi-Fi router or cable connection, and then you will have a “control” outlet, which is where the savings come in. The first step is to choose which device you want to set up as your “control” on the Smart Power Strip. When that device is turned off, the strip stops power to the other plugged-in devices. For example, if you have your television plugged into the “control” outlet and your Xbox, Blu-ray player, and a stereo plugged into the other outlets, the Smart Power Strip will stop power to the other devices when you turn off the television with your remote. The result is a banishment of phantom power, and more money in your pocket at the end of the year. As we all know, technology comes with quirks. If you are considering a Smart Power Strip, do your research before purchasing a strip that best suits your electronic needs. Smart Power Strips can be purchased through the National Grid marketplace, as well as online stores, including Amazon.com. The next time you leave your phone charger plugged into the wall after removing your phone from the wire, you might think twice after remembering phantom energy! Already using a Smart Power Strip but looking for additional ways to cut energy costs? Contact your local Energy Advisor today!
Jefferson & Lewis Counties
Eamon LaDue | 315-788-8450 ext. 280 or el692@cornell.edu
St. Lawrence & Franklin Counties
Nolan Rishe | 315-379-9192 ext. 426 or nar79@cornell.edu
Clinton, Essex, & Hamilton Counties
Carson Schweinsberg | 315-816-8677 or cns68@cornell.edu
Written by: Kayla Nycz, Energy Program Manager