According to a Consumer Electronics Association study, the average American household has 28 electronic products that must use electricity until they are charged enough for use, or remain plugged in until ready for use.
How many do you think your home has?
Of the electronic products/appliances you have, how many are “always on,” meaning they are on stand by—waiting for you to activate or use them?
Most of us don’t realize—if electronics are plugged in, they are still using electricity—and even they aren’t charging a device. Don’t believe us? Reach out and touch a charger that is still plugged in. If it’s warm to the touch—that’s wasted electricity. Technically the phenomenon is called “idle energy.” All idle energy mounts up daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. So much so that The National Resource Defense Council states that Americans spend 19 billion dollars a year on idle energy appliances and electronics.
Idle energy is becoming a thing because while we have an average of 28 in our households now, in a few years that number could be 35. The bottom line is, these “always on” and plugged-in devices are using more electricity than necessary and could be costing your wasted money.
Give your house an audit to find out which appliances are using idle energy. If you can unplug it, unplug it until you use it.