​WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 29, 2018) – With scary and spooky creatures roaming the streets across the region this Halloween, Pepco is providing tips to help customers hunt down vampire energy and stop inefficient appliances and other devices from sucking money right out of their wallets. 

Vampire energy, also known as standby energy, is energy drawn from outlets when devices are off but still plugged in. Many types of electronics and office equipment, including mobile phone chargers, computers, printers, game consoles, and more, continue to draw energy while they are plugged in and turned off. Vampire energy can account for more than 15 percent of the total energy used by these devices.

The following tips can help you save money and energy:

• Use a power strip with an on/off switch to completely power down electronics around your home.
• Unplug your mobile phone charger, laptop, or other electronic devices once they are fully charged.
• Turn off all the lights when you leave a room.
• When preparing for out-of-town travel, always unplug all non-essential devices like televisions and other electronics.
• Look for the ENERGY STAR^® label on home appliances, electronics, and other products. ENERGY STAR^® products meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
  

Discover where energy vampires are haunting your home through My Account at pepco.com where customers can track their energy use, set up usage alerts, get advice on how to reduce energy costs, and learn which appliances use the most energy.

In Maryland, Pepco customers can save even more by scheduling an appointment online with an energy analyst through Pepco's Quick Home Energy Check-Up Program or by calling 1-866-353-5798 . A professional energy analyst will visit your home, assess your home's energy use, recommend energy-saving improvements, and help you start saving right away by installing energy-saving products at no additional cost.

Pepco customers in both Maryland and the District of Columbia can also learn about more ways to save money and energy by visiting pepco.com/waystosave.

To learn more, readers are encouraged to visit The Source, Pepco's online news room. Find additional information about Pepco by visiting www.pepco.com. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pepcoconnect and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pepcoconnect. Our mobile app is available at www.pepco.com/mobileapp.   

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About Pepco: Pepco, a public utility owned by Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), provides safe and reliable energy to more than 842,000 electric delivery customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia.