Never leave your charger plugged into the socket without your phone attached! My electrician warned me about this, and I wish I did this sooner!

Idle chargers are sneaky electricity consumers. While the amount of power they draw might be minimal, it adds up significantly over time. For instance, in a year, a single idle charger might waste up to 2.28 kWh of electricity. If you multiply this by the number of devices in a household, the wasted energy can equate to a considerable portion of your electric bill.

This wasted energy is also known as standby power consumption, and it’s responsible for roughly 5-10% of residential electricity use, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. By simply unplugging chargers when not in use, you can reduce your household’s overall energy consumption and contribute to a more sustainable environment.

Leaving chargers plugged in can increase the risk of electrical fires, a fact often highlighted by safety experts. Over time, the constant flow of electricity can lead to the degradation of the charger’s insulation and internal components, making them susceptible to overheating. This is especially true for chargers that are left plugged in for extended periods or those that are poorly ventilated.