This Halloween, it’s time to slay those energy vampires
PPL Electric Utilities offers energy-efficiency tips to save you from money-eating monsters

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (Oct. 27, 2022) – Energy vampires are scary.

And no, we’re not talking about those people who drain the energy out of you.

We’re talking about all the electronic gadgets, gizmos, appliances and other devices that draw energy — commonly known as phantom loads — when they’re plugged in but not in use. Phantom loads can cost a typical family $100 annually, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. But, by following these tips all around your home, you can slay those money-eating monsters and save.

  • In the home office: Although you may have signed off for the day, your home office laptops and PCs are still on the job. Even in sleep mode, they can draw 15-21 watts, so turning them off could save up to $15 annually on one device alone. And don’t forget about printers, scanners and other equipment. Plug them all into a single power strip and say goodnight with one click. Consider replacing older home office equipment with ENERGY STAR®-certified models as they can provide as much as 75% savings on some products. Overall, ENERGY STAR®-certified office products use about half the electricity of standard equipment. 
  • In the family room: Popular gaming systems use quite a bit of energy during game play, but did you know that they also drain energy while in standby mode? If you want to save, activate built-in power-saving settings that come with those systems. Then plug them, and every related device, into a power strip. It will be game over for those devices with just a push of a button. 
  • In the kitchen: Turn off all unnecessary kitchen appliances. Individually they may not use much power, but add your coffee maker, air fryer, countertop television, toaster oven and other unused appliances together, and you could save between $10 and $20 per year.
  • Everywhere you charge: Do you keep your phone or laptop plugged in all day while you use it? A fully charged cellphone plugged into the wall still consumes 60% of what it consumes while charging. And although keeping your chargers plugged in after you leave will use just a trickle of power, when multiplied by the number of same devices across the country, they account for an estimated 10% of residential energy use nationwide. That’s a total of $4 billion in wasted energy, according to Stanford Magazine. 

All around you, energy vampires are draining your home of power and your wallet of extra money. And now it’s time to slay them.

Looking for products that can assist you in slaying energy vampires and saving energy? Shop our online marketplace — at pplelectric.com/marketplace — for exclusive discounts on energy-efficient products like advanced power strips and LED lighting. And, for more information, energy-efficiency tips and tools — or to learn about rebates and programs offered by PPL Electric — visit savewithppl.com.

PPL Electric Utilities delivers safe, reliable and affordable electricity to more than 1.4 million homes and businesses in eastern and central Pennsylvania. It regularly ranks among the country’s best utility companies for reliability and customer satisfaction. PPL Electric Utilities is a major employer and an active supporter of the communities it serves. It is a part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies. Visit pplelectric.com or connect on social media via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for energy efficiency tips, bill help information, guidance on shopping for an electricity supplier, storm updates and more.

Note to Editors: Visit our media website at www.pplnewsroom.com for additional news and background about PPL Corporation. 

Contact: For news media: Russ Hryvnak, 570-807-2229, rhryvnak@pplweb.com
PPL Electric Utilities
 

Share.