Vampire power might be desirable if your name is Bella, but for most mortals it simply means money down the drain. Also known as “phantom load” – vampire power is the electricity that electronics and appliances use while they are turned off or in standby mode. Geek homes notorious for their tech gear may be especially susceptible to this unaccounted for expense. You know all those little glowing lights that light up your midnight trek to the bathroom? They’re costing you as much as $200 a year. And the U.S. as a whole spends almost $4 billion annually on this lost power. Now that’s scary.
