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Can appliances use power and cost money even though they are not turned on?

Last Updated: January 21, 2010

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Yes, many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. The term for this is standby, phantom, or ghost power, and it occurs in items such as VCRs, televisions, computers, and kitchen appliances. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), in the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed when the electronic items are turned off. To avoid this unnecessary expense, the DOE recommends unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance. The power strip option is more convenient and saves time and effort unplugging and plugging power cords.

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