Many of us are guilty of leaving our appliances plugged in when we’re not using them, but it turns out this is a big mistake and people are now being urged to unplug them completely
As winter draws near, many of us are looking for ways to reduce our energy consumption.
The cost of living crisis is still very much a reality, and we’re all trying to save money wherever possible. One simple method to lower your energy bills is to ensure unnecessary electrical devices are turned off.
In addition to reducing your bills, making some straightforward lifestyle changes can also have a positive impact on the environment. On TikTok, there’s been talk about so-called “vampire appliances” you should unplug if you don’t want them sucking the life out of your home’s energy.
Even when they’re not being used, these devices are still “sucking up your energy”, and no one likes waste. From kettles to phone chargers, we’re all guilty of leaving things plugged in.
Now, we have a solid reason to put an end to it, as it could result in significant savings.
Previously, Ian Palmer-Smith, appliance expert at Domestic & General, listed the “worst appliances” that households should “never leave on standby”. These include “vampire devices” that should be unplugged from the wall – from TVs to microwaves.
At the time, Ian told the Express: “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 also emphasised the “most common vampire devices” include washing machines, dishwashers, tumble dryers, TVs and microwaves. Computer monitors, printers and coffee machines also suck a lot of energy too.
Ian explained: “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.
“They use more energy than others on standby as they need to be ready to heat water instantly, on demand.”
After motherk.earth posted a video explaining what these devices are, many social media users were taken aback. They couldn’t believe they’d been making such a costly error.
One person admitted: “I didn’t know about this. Will surely do this.” Another commented: “Thanks for this tip.” A third chimed in with a simple: “Yes!”
To prevent these appliances from consuming a lot of energy, you need to unplug them completely. Any appliance that remains switched on or plugged into a live socket is using electricity.
