Well, that’s it, summer’s officially over. I know, I’m in mourning too.
And what really makes that cold drop in temperature sting that little bit extra is how much more expensive everything suddenly seems.
Because chillier weather means the arguments about when it’s acceptable to put the heating on begin.
So, with the cost of living constantly causing stress and house bills being a nightmare, Brits are urged to check for ‘vampire appliances’ draining your energy which could be costing you hundreds.
Advert
Yep, I’m talking about those settings on appliances and devices around your home that you don’t even realise are slowly sucking the life from your energy.
And it could be anything as simple as just things you leave plugged in while they’re not being used, from phone chargers to microwaves.
Because, let’s be honest, I bet you can instantly think of at least one thing you’ve got plugged in right now that you’re not using.
Appliance expert at Domestic & General, Ian Palmer-Smith, previously described to the Express last year the ‘worst appliances’ that people shouldn’t ever be leaving on standby.
That includes these ‘vampire devices’ like kettles and TVs.
“Some think that simply turning them off is sufficient, but there are many electrical products that continue to use power when left plugged in – these are often called ‘vampire devices’,” he explained.
Palmer-Smith also stressed the ‘most common vampire devices’ which also includes washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers.
“Appliances that need to heat water use a lot of energy – which is why dishwashers, washing machines and kettles score so highly on energy consumption,” he said.
"They use more energy than others on standby as they need to be ready to heat water instantly, on demand."
To stop these pesky vampire appliances from consuming loads of energy around the home, you need to totally unplug them. Yep, leaving that coffee machine switched on at the plug all day because ‘it’s easier’ could be contributing to your bill being far higher than it needs to be.
And TikToker ‘motherk.earth’ previously shared a video urging people to ‘unplug that cord’.
She explained how it not only leads to an ‘increase in your electric bill’ but it’s a ‘waste of energy’ and not the most environmentally friendly thing to do.
Well lads, get unplugging and save some cash as the colder weather approaches.
Jess Battison