Energy experts have issued a warning over a "phantom load" power drain that could lead to your bills increasing by £1,253 from October.
Data scientists at smart meter energy app Loop stated that a "phantom load" refers to any appliance that is left turned on constantly, whether intentionally or by accident. Common appliances guilty of this can include computers, media servers and set-top boxes as well as underfloor heating, heated towel rails and frides.
Loop claims a "phantom load" of 275w currently costs £683 but this will rise to £1,253 in October. Ofgem announced that from October, the price cap will rise to a dramatic £3,549 for those on default tariffs who also pay by direct debit, the Mirror reports.
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However, some simple adjustments in the house could help bring down the energy bill by £434 which would rise to £797 in October, according to Loop.
Common "phantom load" appliances
Here is a breakdown of how much each item costs to run currently in an average household as well as how much the price will increase in October and the predicted cost to come in January 2023.
Extra fridges, old fridges or "beer fridges"
- Average annual cost (April @28.3p per unit) - £99
- Average annual new cost (Oct @52p per unit) - £182
- Average annual cost (Jan 2023 @62.4p per unit – if the cost is to rise by 20%) - £271
Old desktop computers
- Average annual cost (April @28.3p per unit) - £79
- Average annual new cost (Oct @52p per unit) - £145
- Average annual cost (Jan 2023 @62.4p per unit – if the cost is to rise by 20%) - £174
Faulty set-top box recorder
- Average annual cost (April @28.3p per unit) - £149
- Average annual new cost (Oct @52p per unit) - £273
- Average annual cost (Jan 2023 @62.4p per unit – if the cost is to rise by 20%) - £327
Over-sensitive outdoor security lights
- Average annual cost (April @28.3p per unit) - £50
- Average annual new cost (Oct @52p per unit) - £92
- Average annual cost (Jan 2023 @62.4p per unit – if the cost is to rise by 20%) - £109
Traditional (non smart) electric heating (heating empty home – 40% of time)
- Average annual cost (April @28.3p per unit) - £739
- Average annual new cost (Oct @52p per unit) - £1,355
- Average annual cost (Jan 2023 @62.4p per unit – if the cost is to rise by 20%) - £1,628
Electric underfloor heating (one extra hour per day)
- Average annual cost (April @28.3p per unit) - £309
- Average annual new cost (Oct @52p per unit) - £567
- Average annual cost (Jan 2023 @62.4p per unit – if the cost is to rise by 20%) - £680
Two 60w outside lights left on 10 hours per night
- Average annual cost (April @28.3p per unit) - £125
- Average annual new cost (Oct @52p per unit) - £229
- Average annual cost (Jan 2023 @62.4p per unit – if the cost is to rise by 20%) - £274
Electric towel rail
- Average annual cost (April @28.3p per unit) - £149
- Average annual new cost (Oct @52p per unit) - £273
- Average annual cost (Jan 2023 @62.4p per unit – if the cost is to rise by 20%) - £327
Tips on reducing "phantom load"
While it's inevitable that some appliances need to run all the times, such as fridges, you can still cut costs by focusing on efficiency. Older or less efficient models can easily cost someone twice or three times as much as more efficient models.
Some appliances such as TVs absorb energy even when left on standby - when not in use it can help cut costs by turning them off at the plug. Dr. Steve Buckley, Head of Data Science at Loop, says: "Many people I speak to are really worried about their energy bills right now, and sadly the situation is not set to improve for some time yet.
“The reality is that the only way we can lower our energy bills right now is to reduce the amount of energy we use and the key to that is measuring our use. If you measure it, you can control it. If you measure it, you can see the impact of changes you make."
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