Unplug The TV When Not In Use – Are Unpluggers Right?

Every home has that ardent unplugger who thrives on saving money. But does a simple unplugging the TV at night really save money and energy? 

In some homes, it’s the mom or dad who gets up to unplug the TV. Sometimes its grandpa who unplugs the TV and almost everything in the house before heading to bed.

We will be looking into the cold hard facts to see if its all myths or real facts.

The reality is that some people are concerned about saving money, preventing a fire outbreak, or a scenario in the home where somebody ends up getting electrocuted.

Whatever the case is, unplugging your TV when you aren’t using it does come with some perks.

If you’re wondering why you should unplug your TV when not in use, you’re be informing yourself of the little-known benefits and drawbacks. 

Let’s jump right in, shall we?

Safety first

For those wondering why they should unplug their TVs when not in use, it would interest you to know that unplugging your TV from the socket when not in use is more about safety.

For instance, the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission stipulates that all electrical devices should be unplugged when they aren’t in use.

And the reason for this recommendation is that when devices, especially TV, are unplugged, the chances of triggering a fire or shocking someone are pretty slim.

Another suggestion by the CPSC is for TV and other electronic users not to mangle their device cords or plug them into a faulty socket, as doing so can trigger unexpected hazards.

While a number of TVs on the market today come with unique technologies that switch them off when left idle for a while, most outdated TV still requires users to either switch them off or unplug them from the socket completely.

Does unplugging your TV when not in use save you money?

There has been this fierce argument that unplugging your TV when not in use offers economic benefits. But is that really true?

Well, read on as we get into the nitty gritty of that argument.

Although many people seem to think that unplugging your TV saves you money, that economic argument doesn’t hold water these days.

While unplugging your device when not in use will reduce the chances a of fire outbreak in a home, it’s untrue that unplugging your TV when not in use will save you electricity costs.

And the reason is that most TVs use very little energy these days, so they aren’t using a significant amount of energy to run.

So if you think that switching off your TV or unplugging it from the socket when not in use will save you money on electricity, we are afraid to say that such an assumption is wrong.

If you must unplug your TV when not in use, do it for reasons other than saving electricity costs.

Unplugging your TV from the socket keeps your device safe

While unplugging your TV from the socket when not in use will reduce the chances of a fire outbreak, we would love to add at this point that unplugging your TV when not in use is a smart thing to do, especially if you care about the safety of your devices.

Although most modern TVs come with technologies that prevent power surges, there is a likelihood that leaving your TV on and plugged into the socket can result in damage from a power surge.

And should that be the case, you may end up spending more money to fix your TV and we are sure you wouldn’t like that.

So, to ensure that your TV serves you longer, please endeavor to unplug your TV when you aren’t using it.

Also, we recommend getting a power guard to prevent any possible power surge that may damage your TV.

Does my TV use electricity when switched off using a remote?

Most TVs these days come with a unique off/on button on the remote that can be triggered to switch your TV set on and off.

While this brings about a lot of conveniences as you wouldn’t have to leave your seat to switch on/off your TV set, we have come to realize that switching off your TV using your remote doesn’t prevent it from using electricity.

FAQ

Does TV consume electricity when switched off by a remote?

Many times we think that switching off the Television/AC from the remote or just turning the power button off for an appliance ensures that it is not consuming any electricity.

But the fact is that the appliance continues to consume electricity until they are completely unplugged from the socket.

So if you want to minimize your electricity usage, ensure that your appliances are unplugged when they aren’t in use, including your TV set.

What other devices should you unplug when not in use?

We are sure at this point you already know why you should unplug your TV when it isn’t in use.

But then again, this action shouldn’t only be for your TV set.

Ensuring that all electronic devices in your home are unplugged when they aren’t in use is a smart thing to do, especially if you want to prevent fire outbreaks, manage electricity costs, and prevent your wards or loved ones from getting electrocuted.

As like we mentioned, getting a power guard will help prevent cases of power surges that may end up damaging your devices.

Other electronic devices like a water kettle, water heater, AC unit, pressing iron, oven, and more should be unplugged when they aren’t in use.

Do appliances use electricity when plugged in but not in use?

According to the Energy Saving Trust, when switched on but not in use, electronic devices still consume electricity.

Take, for instance, your smartphone charger; when not charging your phone, it still uses some amount of electricity.

That said, the amount of electricity it consumes in this state is pretty negligible.

And yes, for safety concerns, we recommend unplugging all your devices when they aren’t in use.

How much electricity does a TV on standby use?

A TV set left on standby still consumes electricity, albeit very little. When on standby, your TV uses between 1.3 watts or less.