The 'phantom load’ items around your house that can add £1,253 to energy bills
01.09.2022 - 15:23
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
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.
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"
Old desktop computers
Faulty set-top box recorder
Over-sensitive outdoor security lights
Traditional (non smart) electric heating (heating empty home – 40% of time)
Electric underfloor heating (one extra hour per day)
Two 60w outside lights left on 10 hours per night
Electric towel rail
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