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Many households unknowingly incur higher electricity bills due to phantom energy consumption from devices left plugged in. An electrician highlights that desktop computers, especially with connected peripherals, are significant contributors to this issue. Devices like USB speakers, printers, and monitors can add up to 25% to energy costs even when not in use. The phenomenon, known as phantom load, accounts for 7-11% of total household energy use, equating to about 300 kWh annually. Users can mitigate this by disconnecting unnecessary devices and using hibernation mode instead of sleep mode for computers, which can significantly reduce energy waste.