Don’t let “vampire” appliances take a bite out of your Halloween

Don't let "vampire" appliances take a bite out of your Halloween

National Weatherization Day and Halloween serve as reminders that customers can save on electric bills by cutting lost energy and taking small steps to improve efficiency

Wednesday-October-30-2024

Houston - Oct. 30, 2024 - This Halloween, CenterPoint Energy is reminding customers they can save up to 23% on their electric bills by cutting "vampire" load, also known as idle or phantom load. Vampire load refers to energy lost to devices and appliances that continuously suck up electricity, even when switched off or in standby mode.

Any device that has a remote control or instant-on capability is slowly draining power. Examples of these energy vampires include digital cable boxes, DVRs, microwaves, video game consoles, alarm clocks, fully charged cell phones or tablets, computers, televisions and any device with a digital display. According to the National Resources Defense Council, the average home has up to 65 devices contributing to vampire load.

"Customers can easily curb energy costs and realize significant savings on their electric bill by slaying these energy vampires," said Tony Gardner, CenterPoint Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer. "Vampire loads can range from a fraction of a watt to more than 160 watts. Common household electric appliances may account for as much as 23% of power consumption in the average household and represent roughly a quarter of your electricity bill, even when switched off."

For instance, mobile phone chargers that are left plugged in after your phone is disconnected consume .26 watts of energy and 2.24 watts when your phone is fully charged and still connected. According to the Department of Energy, 45 "vampire" watts feeding off your electric power bill for a year totals nearly 400 kilowatt hours - enough energy to operate a new 21 cubic-feet refrigerator for nearly one year.

Customers can combat these energy vampires by:

• Plugging all components of a home entertainment system into a power strip and turning it off when the equipment is not in use. Then, anything plugged into the strip is truly turned off.

• Placing computers and their peripherals (such as speakers, modems and printers) on a Smart Strip which automatically powers down once the computer is turned off. Smart Strips range from $25 to $40 and detect when the primary appliance in a group has been turned off, then electronically powers-off the associated peripherals.
• Unplugging devices that are rarely used as well as chargers that aren't in use. Unplug items such as televisions, toaster ovens and other frequently-used appliances before leaving on vacation or more frequently as desired.
• Curbing idle time by setting computers to sleep mode or stopping a game and powering down your video game console instead of leaving it paused for a prolonged period.
• Buying energy-efficient appliances or those bearing the ENERGY STAR^® label. ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10 to 50 percent less energy than standard models. Find a list of products at EnergyStar.gov.

In addition to getting rid of energy vampires, customers can also reduce energy through weatherization. October 30 is National Weatherization Day, and taking small steps like adding caulking or weatherstripping to seal air leaks around your doors and windows can make a big difference in helping keep your home cozy as temperatures start to get cooler. CenterPoint has programs, tips and tools to help customers manage their bills and reduce energy use while keeping their homes comfortable. For more information on energy-saving tips that can help customers conserve while saving on electric bills, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/SavingsTips.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
As the only investor-owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. With approximately 9,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

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