Should I Unplug Everything at the Cabin When I Leave?

The short answer: yes, you should unplug anything that won't be in use when you leave such as the water heater, TV, and kitchen appliances. Be sure to keep things like remote cabin monitoring systems and heat tape plugged in.

When closing up your cabin for a week, a month, or the season, the question inevitably arises: should you unplug everything before you go? This seemingly simple decision can have big consequences for your property's safety, energy consumption, and ability to monitor conditions remotely.

What are the Risks?

Even when turned off, many appliances continue drawing small amounts of electricity, known as "phantom loads" or "vampire power." While each device might only consume a minimal amount, collectively these loads can add up to 10% of your cabin's electricity bill. Beyond unnecessary costs, appliances left plugged in also create potential points of failure during power surges, electrical storms, or grid fluctuations.

Fire risk, though small, remains a legitimate concern. Aging cabin wiring, combined with the remote location and lack of immediate emergency response, magnifies the potential consequences of an electrical fire.

Insurance companies report that faulty appliances and electrical issues rank among the top causes of property fires in seasonal homes, particularly those unoccupied for extended periods.

What Should Be Unplugged

Not all appliances present equal risk or energy waste. These items should always be disconnected before leaving:

• Water heaters draw substantial electricity and serve no purpose when the water system is drained for winter. Keeping them connected wastes energy and risks element damage if the tank empties.
• Kitchen appliances including toasters, coffee makers, and microwaves offer no benefit while you're away but continue drawing power and present potential fire hazards, especially older models.
• Entertainment systems including TVs, gaming consoles, and audio equipment are notorious for vampire loads, sometimes consuming nearly as much power when "off" as when in standby mode.
• Disconnect chargers and power bars that aren't serving an active purpose, as they continuously draw small amounts of power even with nothing connected.

What Can Stay Connected

Some systems provide important protections and should remain operational:

• Properly installed smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups should remain connected. These essential safety devices require minimal electricity while providing important protection.
• If maintaining minimal heat during winter, your heating system must remain connected, along with any freeze protection devices that prevent pipe damage such as heat tape.
• Some modern refrigerators use less energy when left running (at adjusted temperatures) than the energy required to cool them down upon your return, though this varies by model and absence duration.
• Any cabin monitoring devices like CabinPulse will need to be left plugged in so you can check on your cabin remotely

Our Recommendation

The best approach is selectively unplugging things that don't serve a purpose, use phantom energy and can be a fire risk.

Create a closing checklist dividing items into "unplug" and "leave connected" categories. You can also label essential outlets used for security and monitoring systems to prevent accidental disconnection.

Thoughtfully managing your cabin's electrical connections during absences, means you'll save money, reduce fire risk, and keep your happy place safe!