8 April, 2025
Hi-Lite Electric Inc.
Have you ever noticed how many things stay plugged in your home? From phone chargers and coffee makers to gaming consoles and TVs, the number adds up fast. In most homes, over 20 devices are constantly connected, and that’s even before you count major appliances.
Here is the catch: many of these devices still use power even when they are turned off, which can make up nearly 10% of your electric bill. This is wasted energy and money!
In fact, the moment something is plugged into an outlet, it starts drawing energy, even if you are not using it.
Devices like chargers, microwaves, and speakers are sneaky energy-drainers. This is why one of the easiest tips to save electricity at home is by unplugging the worst offenders when they are not needed.
In this blog, we will go over 15 common household appliances that waste power. Plus, we will share some quick tips to save energy and cut down on unnecessary costs. A few simple changes can make a big difference for your wallet and the environment!
Phantom energy, also known as standby power, is the electricity used by appliances and electronics when they are turned off.
If you are looking for tips to save electricity at home, reducing phantom energy is a great place to start. Below, we will highlight and discuss some of the worst offenders:
Your personal video recorder (PVR) makes it easy to record your favourite shows, but it stays powered on all the time to do so. Even when you are not watching TV, it continues running in the background, monitoring program schedules and staying ready to record. It is convenient, but this constant operation wastes electricity.
If you are trying to save on electric bills, consider plugging your set-top box into a power-saver plug.
Your router and modem never take a break. Even when no one is using the internet, these devices stay connected to maintain a steady Wi-Fi signal. This means that they draw power 24/7, irrespective of whether you are home or not.
For those who want to unplug appliances strategically, turning off your router at night or when you are away for long periods can save power without affecting your daily routine.
Have you ever noticed that tiny red light on your TV, even when it is off? That’s a sign it is still using power. Many modern TVs also have voice recognition or smart features that keep them on standby, waiting for a command. While convenient, these features mean that your TV is always consuming energy.
One of the easiest tips to save electricity is to plug your TV into a power-saver fuse to fully cut off power when it is not in use. There is no need to keep feeding it electricity just for a standby light!
Blu-ray and DVD players may seem harmless, but they can be sneaky energy-drainers. Many have LED clocks or stay in standby mode, waiting for a remote control signal. Even if you haven’t used these devices in days, they are still drawing power just to remain “ready.”
Unplug electronics like these when they are not in use, as there is no reason to leave them plugged in.
When you shut down your computer, you might assume it stops using power completely. However, if it is in sleep or hibernate mode, it is still consuming electricity. Monitors, too, remain in a lower-power state, waiting for a signal to turn back on.
To save on electric bills, make sure to fully shut down your computer and turn off the monitor when you are done for the day.
Your phone or tablet may not seem like an energy hog, but when left on a charger for too long, it continues to draw power. Wireless charging stations, in particular, keep using energy even when there is no device on them.
You need to make it a habit to unplug after use. Over time, these habits for saving energy add up.
Even when you are not playing games, gaming consoles can still drain power. They are embedded with features like automatic software updates, background downloads, and quick-start modes, which keep them running in standby mode.
The best tip to save electricity at home is to adjust your console’s settings to disable these background functions. If you are done playing for the day, unplug electronics like these consoles, instead of just turning them off.
Stereo systems with digital clocks or memory functions continuously pull power, even if you haven’t turned them on in weeks. If they have a remote control, they stay in standby mode, just waiting for a signal.
To save electricity, plug them into a power-saver plug so they don’t keep drawing energy when not in use.
Printers with wireless connectivity use power even when they are idle. If your printers stay on 24/7, they are consuming electricity to remain connected to the Wi-Fi, even when you don’t need it.
A quick step to save power is to turn off your printer and unplug it after use to cut off unnecessary power consumption.
If the clock on your microwave is always on, it indicates the use of power. And yes, we get it; a display light might seem harmless, but over a year, it adds up. If you don’t rely on your microwave’s clock, unplug appliances like these to save electricity.
A charger left in the socket continues to pull power. Millions of people are guilty of leaving chargers plugged in, even when it is not charging any device. However, even this small action increases the electricity bill.
To save electricity, unplug your chargers when they are not actively charging a device; it is an easy habit to adopt.
If your coffee maker has a timer or digital display, it is consuming power all day long. It is very common to leave it plugged in after the coffee has been brewed. We recommend that you unplug it after use and only plug it in when you are ready for the next cup.
From alarm clocks to the ones built into your kitchen appliances, clocks are always running, and you know what that means: consuming electricity “around the clock.”
However, if you are serious about cutting down on standby power, opt for battery-operated alarm clocks instead to save on electricity bills.
After charging, electronic toothbrushes remain plugged in all day, quietly using power. To save electricity, unplug your toothbrush once when it is fully charged instead of keeping it connected 24/7.
Motion-sensor and light-sensing night lights are convenient, but they still use electricity when they are not actively lighting up the room. The sensors themselves require constant power to stay alert.
You can consider switching to battery-operated or solar-powered night lights instead to save energy.
As earlier established, the simplest way to save electricity is to unplug devices when they are not in use. The moment something is plugged in, it draws power, even if the device is turned off.
Ideally, you should unplug to save energy when you are done using an appliance, but let’s be honest, that is easier said than done. With so many gadgets running our daily lives, remembering to unplug everything can feel like a chore.
Rather than unplugging each device one by one, a good compromise to save electricity would be a power strip. For instance, if you have an entertainment centre with TVs, Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, stereos, and other devices plugged in together, a quick flip of the power strip switch will cut the electricity at once.
This small habit is one of the easiest tips to save electricity and can make a noticeable difference on your bill.
While unplugging appliances when not in use can help you save energy, there’s one more benefit: It can protect you from power surges. Most of your plug-in devices are likely to be damaged by power surges unless you have a whole-house system or individual surge protectors throughout your house.
For example, lighting or transformer explosions don’t need to cause a big surge to damage your appliances. The compressors and air conditioners in your refrigerator and air conditioner commonly cause small surges when they turn on.
If left unchecked for an extended period, these small surges can slowly degrade other appliances on the circuit, thus reducing their useful lifespan.
Although electrical fires are a small risk when your appliances are in good working order, keeping them unplugged will eliminate this risk altogether.
For more information about home electrical inspections in Toronto, call Hi-Lite Electric Inc. at 416-800-5536 or contact us here.
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