Expert says people are wasting up to £60 of energy while they're on holiday

Many devices around the home can consume energy when we're not even there, potentially costing a considerable amount of money

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We’re in full summer holiday season and many of us are taking a well-deserved break. But while you're soaking up the sun or exploring a new city, your home's energy consumption could be quietly adding up.

MakeMyHouseGreen, a company specialising in solar energy installations for homes, has offered expert advice on how to save money on your bills while you're away. It has looked at what it said were some of the worst wastes of energy and how holiday-goers can reduce costs.

The company's research found that the main offender was immersion heaters being left on, costing a whopping £42.84 for a 14-day holiday.

It said: “Many families like to leave their heating on for a few hours a day while they are away to keep the house warm and water ready to be used, however they might not realise the cost they’re adding to their holiday.” Your water heater is one of the biggest energy consumers in your home. If nobody is going to be using hot water for a few days or weeks, turn it off or set it to “vacation mode” to save energy.

Fridges and freezers might not seem like obvious candidates to save energy, but MakeMyHouseGreen suggests that they might: “If you’re going on an extended holiday, consider emptying your fridge and freezer and turning them off. For shorter trips, set them to a higher (but still safe) temperature.”

Even when they're off, many electronics and appliances continue to draw 'phantom' or 'vampire' power. On their own they don’t account for much, but many devices can add up over a period of time.

MakeMyHouseGreen said: “Unplug devices like TVs, computers, microwaves, and chargers to unwanted energy wastage."

Many people like to leave a light or two on for security reasons, however they may not realise the cost. For a two-week holiday that can total to £12 if they are 60W bulbs.

MakeMyHouseGreen said: “While it’s a common practice to leave a light on for security reasons, it’s often unnecessary and wasteful. Instead, consider investing in a timer that can turn your lights on and off at set times, giving the appearance that someone is home without wasting electricity.”

If you want to maximise your savings, MakeMyHouseGreen suggests the ultimate solution: “You could turn everything off at the fuse board, to make sure you’ve not missed anything. However, just make sure you don’t accidentally turn off a freezer that is still full or an alarm system you’re relying on.”

Here are the essential household items you should consider turning off before you set off on your holiday:

Item

Cost per day

Cost for 7-day holiday

Cost for 14-day holiday

Immersion heater (3,000W 3 hours per day)

£3.06

£21.42

£42.84

Lights (2x60W left on for security)

£0.86

£6.02

£12.04

Fridge-freezer (300W)

£0.80

£5.60

£11.20

Broadband router (10W)

£0.24

£1.68

£3.36

Extractor fan (20W)

£0.24

£1.68

£3.36

Television (on stand-by)

£0.08

£0.57

£1.14

Set top box/satellite (on stand-by)

£0.08

£0.54

£1.07

Modem/internet router

£0.07

£0.47

£0.95

Microwave (on stand-by)

£0.05

£0.33

£0.66

Games Console (on stand-by)

£0.04

£0.25

£0.50

Computer (on stand-by)

£0.04

£0.25

£0.49

Electric Shower (on stand-by)

£0.03

£0.20

£0.40

Smart speakers/smart home devices (on stand-by)

£0.03

£0.19

£0.38

Dishwasher (on stand-by)

£0.02

£0.14

£0.28

Washing machine (on stand-by)

£0.01

£0.10

£0.19

Tumble dryer (on stand-by)

£0.01

£0.10

£0.19

Printer (on stand-by)

£0.01

£0.08

£0.15

Total

£5.66

£39.60

£57.12