https://bootstrapping.org/tags/energy/ Recent content in Energy on Bootstrapping.org Hugo en-us Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://bootstrapping.org/2026/04/09/phantom-load-the-utility-costs-you-are-not-tracking/ Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://bootstrapping.org/2026/04/09/phantom-load-the-utility-costs-you-are-not-tracking/ <p>Phantom load — electricity consumed by devices in standby mode — accounts for 5–10% of residential electricity use in the average household. You are paying for power that does nothing useful.</p> <p><strong>What draws phantom load:</strong> TVs, cable boxes, gaming consoles, phone chargers left plugged in, microwaves with clocks, desktop computers in sleep mode, and any appliance with a remote control or digital display.</p> <p><strong>The fix is simple and cheap.</strong> Smart power strips cut power to a cluster of devices when the primary device (e.g., your TV) is switched off. A single smart strip costs $15–$25 and pays for itself within a few months.</p>