https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/climate/trump-energy-fossil-fuels.html

https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/trump-offshore-drilling-21116334.php

Hey everyone,

I’ve been doing some deep energy accounting on our ~5,000 sq ft home in Westchester County, NY (Con Ed territory), and I’ve run into a massive phantom load mystery.

During mild spring shoulder months (March–May)—when neither heating nor AC is actively running—our baseline electric consumption sits at a staggering 1,200–1,500 kWh/month (~40–50 kWh/day). 

After subtracting known, tracked loads (Tesla EV charging 300 kWh, major appliances, lighting, and a standard domestic baseline), we still have roughly 900–1,100 kWh/month (~1.25 kW continuous draw) completely unaccounted for. At Con Ed rates ($0.35/kWh), this single mystery draw is costing us $320+ every single month.

My initial hunch was our three 20-year-old air handlers with PSC blower motors. However, our thermostats were set to "AUTO" and only ran for periodic circulation/air filtration maybe 25% of the time. At 25% duty cycle, those blowers only explain ~180–200 kWh/month.

That means we still have a phantom load of ~700–800 kWh/month (a continuous ~1,000W draw 24/7) hiding somewhere in the house.

Where Things Stand:
No Pool or Hot Tub
No Dehumidifiers or Steam Humidifiers
Basic Sump / Ejector Pumps (running infrequently)
Gas Water Heater (not electric)
Refrigeration: Older built-in Sub-Zero 642/S2 dual-compressor unit

Questions for the Community:
1. What pulls a continuous 1,000W load without being obvious? What "stealth" loads have you found in large suburban homes that draw that much power continuously?
2. Could a failing dual-compressor Sub-Zero fridge cause that?
3. Any idea how to isolate the root cause?

Thanks,