Expert shares 8 ‘vampire devices’ you should unplug to reduce your bills
With the cold winter just around the corner, many households are looking for ways to reduce their energy consumption and bills.
As the cost of living continues to soar, hitting millions of cash-strapped Britons, an expert has listed the eight ‘vampire devices’ that are draining your energy – and wallet.
3
3
3
That’s right, saving money can be as simple as turning off all unnecessary electrical appliances in your home.
While this change only takes a few seconds, unplugging the eight devices will not only lower your monthly bills, but also have a positive impact on the environment.
As the name suggests, ‘vampire’ devices still consume ‘your energy’ – even when they are not being used. Daily Star reported.
Whether it’s our kettle or phone bill, most of us leave a few appliances plugged in. However, a professional has warned us to ‘never leave them on standby’.
Chat with The Expresssaid Ian Palmer-Smith, appliance expert at Domestic and General: “Some people think that simply switching them off is enough, but there are many electrical products that continue to use electricity if left plugged in. These are often referred to as ‘vampire appliances’.”
The guru also dropped some knowledge bombs about the “most common vampire appliances,” including washing machines, dishwashers, dryers, televisions and microwaves.
As above, the expert warned that computer screens, printers and coffee makers are also energy-guzzling “vampires.”
Ian noted: “Appliances that need to heat water use a lot of energy, which is why dishwashers, washing machines and kettles score so highly in terms of energy consumption.
“They consume more energy than other standby appliances because they have to be able to heat water immediately and on demand.”
After a money-savvy social media user known only as @mother earthposted a video listing the devices. Many people were shocked.
One stunned viewer confessed: “I didn’t know about this. Will definitely do this.”
Another person joined in the conversation and said, “Thanks for this tip.”
And a third simply added: “Yes!”
5 Money Saving Tips for Fall/Winter
1. Make your home draught-free
It takes time and money to heat your home, so it’s important to do as much as you can to keep the heat in. Close your doors and windows and fill any gaps with draught excluder.
2. Turn down your thermostat
According to Energy UK, turning down your thermostat by just one degree Celsius could reduce your heating bill by 10% and save you around £85 a year. And if you don’t have a thermostat, you could save up to £70 a year by installing one!
3. Move furniture
Make sure that there are no large, bulky pieces of furniture, such as sofas, in front of the radiators.
4. Wash the clothes at a lower temperature and add an extra spin
Unless you are dealing with bedding, towels or really dirty clothes, turn the temperature down to 20 or 30 degrees and swirl the machine twice to remove excess water.
5. Heat the person, not the house
There is no point in heating a room where no one is sitting, so pay close attention to which radiators are on.
To prevent these energy-guzzling devices from draining your bank account, the expert’s advice is clear: pull the plug.
Any device that is left on or plugged into an electrical outlet uses electrical current.
It comes after it was revealed that millions of people will face a huge £149 increase in their energy bills when Ofgem’s new price cap comes into effect in a few weeks.
From 1 October, around 29 million people on their supplier’s standard variable tariff will see their bills rise from £1,568 a year to £1,717 a year.
The maximum rate for energy used by the regulator changes every three months. This sets a maximum for what suppliers may charge households for standard or variable rates.
