Some common money saving hacks to save on your home's energy usage could actually be costing you more money, reports the Mirror.
As the cost of living soars, many of us are looking for ways to keep energy usage down in a bid to combat rising bills.
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According to experts at Smart Energy GB, nearly one in three say they don’t know enough about advice around energy usage with only a third feeling well informed.
This has led to two thirds trying methods that have little to no impact on their energy use, and one in four saying they don’t feel in control of their household budgets amid the price rise.
The most common energy saving myth is hand-washing all dishes instead of using a dishwasher, when in fact hand-washing can use up to nine times as much water and as a result - requires even more energy than the dishwasher uses to heat it.
The new report from Smart Energy GB also shows that one in five have also tried keeping the heating on permanently at a low setting instead of turning it on and off when needed, which is actually likely to lead to energy loss throughout the day.
A further fifth admit to putting electronic devices in sleep mode overnight, rather than turning them off completely which would save more energy.
Common energy saving habits that are effective however include only filling the kettle with the amount needed, improving a home’s insulation and turning the TV off at the plug when not in use.
The research, which was carried out on 5,000 adults, also found almost half of us now have a smart meter to receive accurate, rather than estimated bills and monitor what energy is being used, in near-real time.
By having a smart meter and adjusting it to your energy use, the average saving can be £366.24 over the course of a year.
This saving would account for 18.5% of the average household spend on energy, which according to Ofgem, is currently £1,971 per year.
Helen Skelton, co-author of the Super Smart Energy Savers Report, said: "It’s worrying to feel that the cost of your energy bill is completely out of your control, but unfortunately the price cap increase means that this is now the case for so many people across the UK.
"People need tangible, long-term solutions. Whilst there are elements of the cost-of-living crisis we can’t control, taking steps like getting a smart meter to monitor energy use and being mindful of how long your devices are on for can go some way to helping Brits feel more equipped and in control of their household budgets."
