It is now the spookiest time of the year, and it’s also getting a little colder, too. This makes it an ideal time of year to start thinking about your energy usage—and how to make the most of it.
Most of us have heard of vampire devices—that is to say, appliances and electrical devices that suck our energy, even when they’re not being used. This happens when these devices are on standby or simply plugged in, and because they are not off, they keep running at low capacity—and keep using your energy. Think about the little red light on your television when it’s on standby (that requires energy) or the clock on your microwave (that also requires energy). Some of these things are more unnecessary than others, but it is important to be aware of them and to make a conscious choice as to which items in your home cost you additional money.
This is even more important because it has been found that by turning these appliances 100% off can save almost £90 a year. Your television, for instance, uses 10 watts just during standby – which totals about £20 a year, for doing absolutely nothing!
Check out the graph below:
How to avoid vampires this Halloween
The simplest way to keep these vampires at bay isn’t garlic but rather simply unplugging them. This is, of course, is easier said than done when it comes to other devices, such as ovens or washing machines, but in other places, this is the simplest thing in the world.
For those harder to unplug appliances, just make sure you’re using them to the full extent. This might look like running your dishwasher when it is stacked full, or cooking using the oven for batch cook casseroles.
Another way to slay those pesky vampires is by charging devices only until they are full—and not running overnight. This includes phones, tablets, laptops and the like, which, oftentimes, we leave to charge from bedtime (maybe at 10PM) to the morning (say 7.30AM). That’s almost 10 hours of charging, when the majority of modern devices require charging for only a few hours (if that). Obviously, charging overnight may be the only opportunity you have to be disconnected from your phone or laptop, but if you can, try to charge pre-bedtime and unplug as soon as it is at 100%.
Other ways to save money
If you are looking for other ways to save money on your energy bills, you might think to try comparing your energy deal. If you haven’t switched in the last 12 months, odds are you will find that when you compare, there is a cheaper deal out there for you. In fact, our customers save an average of £369 when they switch with us, and for no extra cost at all.
