Energy experts have revealed some of the most expensive bad habits you can have around the house that are adding hundreds to your bills.
With the New Year upon us, you might be more inclined to make smarter choices to try and reduce your energy bills. It turns out we're all guilty of a few mistakes, as energy experts at Uswitch have discovered.
More than a quarter of people set their washing machine at more than 40C, potentially costing up to £26 a year more than washing at 30oC, while one in six run it when it’s not full.
But Hull Live reports that one of the most expensive mistakes you can make is filling the kettle up too much, as it can cost you £55 over the course of a year - and 28% of us are doing it.
Experts at Uswitch have rounded up all of the most costly habits people have around the home, so it's important to be aware of where you can cut down.
Expensive energy mistakes and cost per year
Leave gadgets on standby |
40% |
£2 |
Leave phone charging when it has reached maximum battery |
32% |
£2 |
Run the washing machine at 40C or more |
28% |
£26 |
Boil more water in the kettle than I need |
28% |
£55 |
Leave lights on when not in the room |
24% |
£12 |
Let the freezer get iced up |
22% |
£5 |
Leave the TV on when nobody is watching |
21% |
£2 |
Run the washing machine when it’s not full |
16% |
£9 |
Not use an eco setting on washing machine |
15% |
£37 |
Let the hot tap keep running while washing up |
15% |
£20 |
Run the tumble dryer when it’s not full |
10% |
£20 |
Not use an eco setting on dishwasher |
8% |
£28 |
Run the dishwasher when it’s not full |
6% |
£11 |
Not use an eco setting on tumble dryer |
6% |
£53 |
Source: Uswitch.com. Prices based on Energy Price Guarantee of £2,500 a year until April 1, then £3,000 for the rest of the year.
Putting the dishwasher on when you've not a full load is also a costly mistake to make, adding £11 to your annual bill - while not running it on an eco setting could cost you £28.
Six million households admit that they leave the TV on when it's not in use, potentially adding £2 a year to bills, while a quarter leave the lights on when no one is in the room, which could add £12 to annual bills.
Leaving electronics on standby is the most common bad habit, with 40% of households saying they do this.
Uswitch is supporting the Government’s It All Adds Up energy-saving campaign by offering consumers its free power-tracking app Utrack.
The service was created to link up to smart meters in order to help consumers understand their home energy consumption, monitor when they are using the most power and find ways to cut costs around the home.
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “At a time of year when we’re all coming up with New Year Resolutions, it’s a great moment to get into good energy habits and save yourself money.
“We’ve all been guilty at times of leaving the lights on or overfilling the kettle, but it’s important to remember that these habits can all add hundreds of pounds a year to our bills.
“Even with the Energy Price Guarantee, bills are higher this winter than they were last year, but there are a lot of ways households can cut down their energy use.
“Doing your best to get into good habits could be a great starting point, and saving money might be as simple as using the eco mode on your white goods and making sure you only run them when full.
“You can’t always tell if changing your habits is making a difference until you see your bill – unless you track your usage. People using the Utrack app can see the impact on their bills with hourly graphs, comparing gas and electricity use by day, week, month and year.”
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