When electronic devices are left plugged in, electricity can continue to be drawn from the power supply. Anything with an adapter, clock, timer, memory, or remote control continues to use electricity even when the device is turned off. For example, a TV leaks about 6 watts all the time. Referred to as “leaking electricity” or “phantom load”, this wasteful consumption of electricity is rising worldwide as the number of gadgets increase in peoples’ homes. An average home leaks about 450 kilowatt-hours each year or approximately 5% of the annual hydro bill.

How can you minimize your leaks?

**Connect your devices to a power bar and switch the bar off every night. Any user settings (except for the clock of course) previously entered should be automatically saved.

**Unplug other devices that are used infrequently such as your cell phone/ipod chargers or that extra fridge or other device in the basement that sits unused most of the time.

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