Even when everything at home seems off, the meter keeps running. Standby TVs, blinking boxes, chargers left plugged into outlets: this quiet electricity easily flies under the radar. Electricians are now warning their clients about this hidden drain, which ultimately weighs heavily on the electricity bill.
According to Gestoría Eléctrica Corbalán, devices left in standby all year long can account for roughly 8% of a household’s total electricity expenditure. The ADEME cites about 10% of a home’s annual electricity consumption. Lemonade notes that this amounts to around €80 per year, and up to €180 for highly equipped residences.
Standby consumption: a real electricity drain
This portion corresponds to the famous standby consumption, sometimes called “phantom load.” Televisions, internet boxes, TV decoders, routers, game consoles, computers, and small power adapters stay connected even when they are off. The Ministry of Ecological Transition states that a television or a standby box consumes between 1 and 10 watts continuously, up to 80 kWh per year for a single box.
Many myths persist, however. The belief that completely cutting power to a device would cause its consumption to spike when it’s turned back on is debunked by the ministry. It specifies: “Turning devices off completely does not incur any extra cost at startup: the consumption is negligible compared with the hours spent in standby.” In other words, every hour saved in standby is a real savings.
Which standby devices weigh the most on the bill?
Not all equipment is equal. Lemonade notes: “A device in standby is not a turned-off device.” The heaviest culprits are the box and the TV decoders that stay on 24/7, large televisions and newer consoles that download updates. Conversely, a smartphone that is fully charged or a razor resting on its base weigh very little.
The total of these small power draws thus depends on the number of devices, their age, and the time spent in standby. In a highly equipped home, the share can climb beyond the 8–10% mentioned, especially if several screens, consoles, and boxes remain permanently on. Modest households, with fewer devices, sit correspondingly lower.
Simple steps to track phantom consumption
Reducing this invisible consumption doesn’t require renovations or a change of equipment. According to Gestoría Eléctrica Corbalán, many televisions, computers, or consoles stay plugged in “for comfort,” whereas a simple switch would suffice. A wattmeter, plugged between the outlet and the device, lets you measure standby power when needed and identify the worst offenders piece by piece. To act day to day, experts especially recommend targeting the living room and the home office, where standby usage tends to accumulate the most.
- Group screens and boxes on a power strip with a switch.
- Turn off the box at night or during long absences.
- Unplug chargers and small power supplies that aren’t in use.
As Lemonade sums up, “By acting selectively on the most energy-hungry devices, you can reasonably reduce this bill by 30% to 50%.”
