Phantom power: How much is it costing your household?

Latest research has revealed that many households could be paying for extra electricity due to “phantom power”.

This covert occurrence refers to the hidden electricity costs that are incurred from plugged-in appliances left in standby mode that aren’t actively being used but are still drawing power.

It basically means that you are paying for electricity you aren’t using and it is costing you money and according to Canstar Blue’s calculations for homes across south-east Queensland this could be adding up to approximately an extra $123 per year.

How much does standby power cost? 

As per Canstar Blue’s findings, standby power expenses can range from a mere $0.03 per hour for a computer monitor to a substantial $0.54 per hour for a smart TV. These costs fluctuate based on a range of variables, encompassing your location, your electricity rate, and the energy efficiency of your appliance.

Why do appliances use electricity on standby? 

Things like remote controls, LED lights, digital clocks and touch-on buttons all use standby electricity. It’s a tiny amount but just enough to power sensors so it can be switched back on.

More expensive devices such as gaming consoles draw more power because they run background functions like Wi-Fi checks, download content and be ready for remote, touch or voice activation.

All these things inevitably consume electricity and unexpectedly bump up your power bill.

What are the estimated standby power costs of my appliances?

Source: Canstar Blue

From Canstar Blue’s table above it is easy to see how the standby power costs quickly tick up without consumers even noticing it.

How much could standby costs be adding to your energy bill each year? 

Source: Canstar Blue

Looking at the data, Canstar Blue says households with all the appliances listed could be unknowingly adding between $104.07 and $176.99 to their energy bills each year, depending on location.

So what to do? 

Canstar Blue offers several remedies to ensure you only pay for the electricity you use:

• Turn off appliances at the wall: Switching off appliances at the point is a guaranteed way to ensure your electricity bill isn’t inflated by phantom load.
• Smart boards: Some electricity boards are able to detect when an appliance has entered standby mode and will cut its electricity feed entirely. It will also detect when you’re trying to turn the device back on and recommence its feed of electricity.
• Energy efficient models: The energy efficiency star ratings system is intended to indicate electricity usage running costs, but it also helps provides a useful guide to standby costs. The more energy efficient an appliance is, the less electricity it will use on standby.
• Adjust standby settings: You can modify the settings on some smart televisions and smart consoles to minimise their standby functionality. Use this to stop them from scanning for Wi-Fi when on standby.

Another way to ensure you aren’t paying unnecessary high costs for power is to do your homework by calling your energy provider to make sure you are on the best possible plan.

Running your main appliances during off peak periods may also reduce your costs.