You can monitor how much electricity you are using on SmartHub under My Usage. This section includes data on monthly, daily and hourly usage along with outdoor temperatures to help you understand how you use electricity. If you have specific questions about anything you see, give us a call at 800.492.5989.

Be Aware of Vampire Loads

Did you know that many of your household electronics continue to use electricity even when they aren’t on or in use? Some of the primary culprits are chargers, TVs, gaming systems and computers and they create what is called, "vampire loads." According to the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, vampire loads add up to roughly $200/year in electricity costs.

Here are some tips to reduce the drain:

  • Unplug devices and chargers when they aren’t in use.
  • Put your computer into sleep mode when unplugging it isn’t practical.
  • For devices that aren’t easy to unplug, consider using an advanced power strip that can automatically shut off the power for you. Here are some of the types available:
    • Timer power strips shut off the power at a set time every day.
    • Activity monitor strips use motion sensors to look for signs of activity in the room. If no activity is detected, it shuts off the power.
    • Master-controlled strips turn off the power for the entire strip when the item designated as the “master” gets turned off. These power strips also often have an “always on” outlet in case you want to plug something in, such as a wireless router, that should always have power even if other devices plugged into the strip are turned off.
    • Masterless power strips cut the power when all the devices connected to it are turned off.
  • When replacing or adding new electronics to your home, select ones that have are energy efficient to reduce the amount of power consumed while in standby mode.

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