Warning over 'vampire devices' costing households £147 a year

27 April 2022, 10:58 | Updated: 28 April 2022, 15:03

By Naomi Bartram

@naomibartram

Your devices could be costing you an extra £147 a year, even when you're not using them.

The rising cost of gas and electricity bills has left millions of households in the UK looking for ways to conserve energy.

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But now experts have warned that many of your 'vampire devices' could be draining a huge amount of electricity.

These so-called vampire devices are electronics that use power even when they are not in use.

According to British Gas research, homes in the UK spend £2.2bn every year just by leaving these devices on standby.

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How can you try to keep energy bills down?

This works out as £147 a year for the average household, which could be as much as two months worth of electricity bills.

Smart speakers, laptops and televisions all drain money to keep running, with the average TV costing £24.61 per year to leave on standby.

Meanwhile, games consoles that haven’t been switched off at the mains cost an average of £12.17 and computers around £11.22.

Here’s a list of other ‘vampire devices’ which could be costing you money:

• Games consoles - £12.17 per year
• Computers - £11.22 per year
• Microwave - £16.37 per year
• Shower - £9.80 per year
• Washing machine - £4.73 per year
• Printer - £3.81 per year
• Phone charger - £1.26 per year

British Gas energy expert Marc Robson says that adding these devices to an extension lead that can be switched off at night is a good way to keep on top of your energy usage.

He also told the BBC: "Try not to overcharge your mobile phone and laptop unnecessarily.

"As soon as your device is charged, try and get into the habit of unplugging it.

"Not only will this save energy but it also prolongs battery life.

"A smart meter's in-home display can help to identify how much energy is used at different times of the day, so you can see where energy is wasted."

This comes after it was revealed that washing machines and dishwashers are the biggest energy guzzlers in your home. ]

According to the experts, these appliances account for a whopping 16 per cent of energy bill costs. You can find out more about which devices use the most electricity HERE.