BOSTON (WHDH) - Massachusetts residents are paying some of the highest electricity rates in the country.
As the bills keep getting higher, people are desperate to find ways to save.
“Saving money is a top priority,” shared Boston resident Joe Campanelli. “Boston is not very inexpensive, so we try to save where we can.”
7News found some unexpected items in people’s homes that could be driving up their monthly bills without them even knowing.
“Vampire or phantom energy is appliances, electronics or office equipment you might have at home, it’s drawing power even when it’s not actually in use,” explained Bill Stack, an energy efficiency spokesperson at Eversource.
Stack explained that vampire energy is sucking energy and dollars from consumers without them even knowing.
“Up to 10% of your electric bill each month and maybe $100 a year,” Stack said.
Stack explained that the appliances causing the biggest drain usually have some sort of clock or digital display, are voice-activated, or turn on with a remote control.
Coffee makers, TVs, and smart speakers are the top offenders.
“You can go around and put almost a price tag on each item that is using phantom power to show you just how much it is costing you when those items are not in use,” Stack said.
7News used a watt meter, which measures electricity consumption, to search for vampire energy in homes across the Boston area.
“When we plug the TV in, and it’s not on, but you can see it is drawing power…because it is attached to a remote control.. it wants to be ready when you’re ready to use it, so it is always drawing power,” Stack said while measuring the watts associated with a TV. “It’s continual. So you are being charged for this TV right now, and it’s not in use.”
“I don’t think people generally understand how much power is drawn when things are off because it is called an off button,” Campanelli said.
Another costly device 7News found was a smart speaker with a touchscreen. Even though the device was in battery saver mode and the display was dark, the watt meter found it was still sucking power. If kept in that mode continually, it could cost the homeowner about $20 a year.
“Really surprised,” said Casey Turner after finding out about vampire energy in her home. “If you hadn’t done this, I’d have no idea.”
Turner’s home was filled with unassuming energy vampires, like a remote-controlled space heater, a tea kettle with a light-up display and a speaker with a digital clock.
“Even if it is just a little bit for each device, I think whenever you multiply that… that does add up, and it does make a difference,” she said.
Another surprising sucker is chargers for electronics.
The charging brick is constantly pulling power even when there’s no device connected.
And any furniture or appliance with built-in charging ports is also sucking energy.
Our watt meter detected power being used in a nightstand with a built-in charging port, even though no devices were being charged.
“It was definitely eye-opening and a learning experience for sure,” Campanelli said.
Stack said the best way to slay vampire energy is by unplugging things.
Decreasing vampire energy can be one small way to recharge your wallet.
“If you look at the economy right now, every dollar matters,” Turner said.
Many libraries in Massachusetts have watt meters that are free to check out and are a great way for residents to start their hunt for energy vampires.
Unplugging isn’t the only way to save money if you do find any wasted watts.
Smart power strips can cut power to multiple devices left in standby mode.
Smart plugs can also help you monitor electricity use and remotely turn off devices.
For more tips and tricks on how to save energy and money, check out: https://www.eversource.com/residential/save-money-energy/energy-savings-tips-tools
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