Whether it’s at home or in the office, so-called ‘vampire devices’ are increasing our energy bills, often without us realising. Recent research carried out by British Gas suggests that UK households could save on average £147 each year simply by turning them off, and the same applies to appliances within our working environment.
The main culprits are devices that are frequently left on standby, with the Energy Saving Trust (EST) saying that consumers should think carefully about which ones they leave permanently turned on. Leaving devices either switched on or on standby when they could be switched off with minimal inconvenience could be costing households around £55 per annum.
If the sockets are easily accessible, there’s no reason not to turn these devices off, especially as the recent 54% rise in the energy price cap means that an average family that uses a typical amount of gas and electricity will now pay £1,971 per year. And with another rise scheduled for October, that amount could result in households seeing their energy bills climb towards £3,000 by the end of the year.
The figures from British Gas suggest that the vampire devices that may be costing families annually include:
- TV: £24.61
- Set-top box: £23.10
- Games console: 12.17
- Computer/laptop: £11.22
- Microwave: £16.37
- Washing machine: £4.73
- Printer: £3.81
Startlingly, the research also suggests that the average home has 41 electrical appliances and that as much as 16% of the electricity used in our homes is powering those devices when they’re on standby. Newer devices will be more energy efficient than older models, but nevertheless there’s still a tendency to overcharge phones and laptops, for example. Adopting the discipline of unplugging your device as soon as it hits 100% charge is a good way of cutting your energy consumption, and therefore your bill. And finally, converting to a smart meter can help you monitor your usage and react accordingly.
For Mark Smith, owner of MS Electrical Services, the rise in energy prices means that this is the perfect time to re-assess how we use electricity. ‘At MS Electrical we spend our working lives ensuring that electrical installations and appliances are safe to use, and in the course of our work we frequently come across electrical equipment that’s routinely left on standby,’ comments Mark. ‘Computers and printers are often left switched on in the office, while TVs and games consoles are left on standby or charging overnight at home. As we all face rising energy prices, it’s beneficial to re-evaluate the way we use electricity and do everything we can to avoid wastage. As well as bringing our bills down, switching appliances and devices off when not in use will also help to prolong their life.’
MS Electrical offer fixed wire testing and PAT testing in Cambridge, so please contact us to request a no-obligation quotation.