There has never been more focus on cutting energy consumption at home. Prices are rising, adding hundreds of pounds to the average household bill. This is squeezing everyone’s monthly budget. But, you may not be helping yourself here. There may be a number of devices in your home using energy without you noticing. As the top electrical contractors Bridgewater has, we want to offer some great advice that could save you hundreds of pounds.
What are vampire electrical devices?
The term probably caught your attention when you read it in the title. It is the name given to any device that will continue to consume power if you leave it on at the mains. There are a surprising number of products that do this, and the more you have in your home, the more energy you are wasting every day.
There is a huge problem in the UK with this kind of waste. British Gas estimates that around 23% of all electrical use is vampire energy. In 2021 the national cost was £2.2billion. It could rise to £3.3billion this year because of the energy price rises.
Biggest offenders
As the leading electrical contractors Bridgewater can offer, we have experience with all kinds of electrical items, lights, and more. So, we can give you advice about which you should not be leaving on.
Any device with a standby mode or display that remains on while plugged in will be consuming energy. This includes everything from washing machines to microwaves that show the time and date. TVs, laptops, games consoles, printers, and things like Sky or Virgin TV boxes are all big consumers. If you have multiples in your home, it could add up to a lot of energy going to waste.
One of the most common vampire devices in the home is the phone charger. If you leave one plugged in and switched on at the mains, it will continue to use energy even when you unplug your phone. Many people just leave them in the wall so their devices start to charge as soon as they plug in. But, each charger could be wasting up to £60 of electricity per year. Plus, if you leave your phone charging, especially overnight, it can overcharge and reduce the battery life.
Changing your behaviour
If you want to tackle the vampire devices, you should get into the habit of turning things off that you are not using. Do you really need to leave the microwave or washing machine on just so it can display the time? Why not leave them off and only turn them on at the wall when you need to use them?
A really good tip is to plug your TV, games consoles, and Sky or Virgin box into an extension lead. You can then unplug it at night when you are not using any of them.
Get help from the top electrical contractors in Bridgewater
ASM Electrical provides a range of great services, including rewiring, upgrades, and new installations like EV chargers. Our team have excellent credentials, including first rate qualifications. As a result, we can provide a professional service every time.
If you have concerns about your energy usage at home, you may want to look at new upgrades as well as a change in behaviour. We can help here. So, get in touch today for quotes from the most reliable electrical contractors Bridgewater has to offer.
