In the face of the ongoing cost of living crisis, everyone is looking to make their money stretch further, especially when it comes to energy bills. However, many are unaware that even when not in use, some electrical appliances continue to drain power, a phenomenon known as ‘phantom electricity’.
This hidden cost can account for up to 10% of your annual electricity bill, with the average person shelling out between £70 – £120 on unused energy. Joshua Houston, an Energy Expert at GreenMatch, has shed light on the household appliances that are the biggest culprits of phantom electricity usage.
Joshua said:”Bills are expensive, so the last thing you want to do is to pay more than you should. Identifying the wasteful household appliances allows you to act.
“Turning these off will save you close to £100 a year, which can be better spent on treats for yourself and your family. ” For pensioners who have seen their Winter Fuel Payment cut, this could go a long way in making up the difference, allowing you to put that extra money towards heating your home.
”Topping the list is the microwave, costing households around £30 a year.
The microwave is a crucial component of any kitchen, providing a convenient way to heat ready meals and leftovers. It’s one of the most frequently used electrical appliances in the UK, with nearly every household owning one.
However, they are also significant consumers of phantom electricity. They reportedly use between 4-7 watts per hour, meaning that keeping them unplugged could save you up to £30 by the end of the year.
This is due to the fact that even when turned off, they remain in standby mode to maintain their digital clock and memory. .
Game consoles can cost you £20 a year if not switched off at the plug, as they will be on standby mode. A console can consume up to 5 watts of electricity per hour.
This is more than a TV because gaming systems regularly download and update software while offline. This is why your console might be hot and making noise, even though you switched it off some time ago.
Each year alone, a console can cost you up to £20 in phantom electricity wastage.
Dishwashers, when turned off, still use power to maintain functions like the control circuits and digital display. This is estimated to use 3-4 watts of electricity an hour, which works out to around £10 a year.
However, depending on the model, it could even consume more electricity. To be sure, check your dishwasher’s user manual, which will be able to give you a detailed description of its usage.
Television sets can also cost you £10 per year in phantom electricity.
You may think that when you use your remote to switch off the TV, it stops consuming electricity. However, a small red light often visible in one of the corners indicates that the TV is merely in standby mode.
This feature allows for quick activation when you next wish to use it. Yet, during this period, it consumes between 1-3 watts of electricity per hour.
Over a year, this could cost you up to £10, money that would be better off in your pocket.
