'Vampire' electronics may be sucking cash from your wallet

Tribune file photo by SCOTT ISKOWITZ (2007)

A computer monitor set on standby mode still uses 70 watts per hour of power.

By MICHELE SAGER | The Tampa Tribune
Published: April 19, 2009

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Even when they're off, many of your home electronics are adding to the total of your power bill.

Conserve energy and save money this Earth Day by switching off electronics and using less energy.

But truly turning off the power isn't as easy as flipping a switch. Many household electronics, known as "vampire appliances," use standby power when turned off. The average home has 20 or so of these vampire appliances.

A Cornell University study found the average household will spend $200 a year for standby power.

Conservationists recommend unplugging electronics or using a power strip where the power can be cut off at the source. But critics say the cost is minimal for most items and that constant unplugging can shorten the life span of some products.