Turning things off at the plug is a classic ‘dad’ habit – but this simple appliance switch saves energy and cash; and it may also make your home safer.
Appliances on standby are costing you money
Appliances left switched on in standby mode could be increasing your energy bill by as much as £60 a year, according to The Energy Saving Trust. Standby mode should only use a small amount of power; but if you have a lot of gadgets and appliances on standby overnight, it all adds up.
How do I decide which appliances to turn off at night?
Check the instructions for an appliance or device to see if it can and should be turned off overnight. Many devices like coffee machines last longer if you turn them off at the wall when you know you won’t use them for eight hours.
Which appliances should you always switch off at night?
Many people make a routine of turning off certain appliances last thing at night. You can make this habit easy for yourself by using sockets that are easy to reach, or a socket strip. You could even get a timer switch that will turn appliances off automatically. A timer switch, or a remote switch, is useful for a device or appliance that needs to warm up before use.
Computers and gaming devices should be switched off overnight. Smart speakers can also be turned off when you’re out of the room, and so can digital radios and TVs.
Many people prefer not to leave devices on charge overnight. There have been cases of cheap generic chargers bursting into flames and many fire and rescue services now recommend not leaving a charging device unattended.
Hair straighteners definitely need to be switched off overnight, as they could be a fire risk, let alone the cost of running them. Anything that heats up really needs to be turned off and unplugged when not in use.
There should be no problem switching your microwave off at the wall – although if it has a clock showing the time, turning it off will mean it doesn’t show the correct time when you turn it back on again. The countdown timer on your microwave will still work after being switched off, and you may find there is a cheaper way to tell the time than leaving your microwave on all night!
Are there any appliances you should not turn off at night?
Turning off your fridge or freezer is not an effective way to save cash. Fridges and freezers are okay for a few hours without power, but they need to be switched on to maintain food at a safe temperature. Any energy savings you make by turning your fridge off overnight will be lost in the costs associated with increased food waste.
It’s best to leave your Wi-Fi router running all the time. It only uses a small amount of power and modems are designed to run continuously. Switching off your Wi-Fi might interrupt back-up services like Apple iCloud that run overnight or at times when your devices are idle. Some experts also say that powering a Wi-Fi router up and down can shorten its life.
Devices with a timer will not work properly if you switch them off overnight. Plug-in alarm clocks will not work if they are switched off at the wall overnight, and any device that you use as an alarm clock should be left on, otherwise you’ll not get the wake-up call you expected. If you program your dishwasher or washing machine to start up in the small hours, don’t switch it off overnight.
Security devices – including smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, as well as CCTV devices – will not work if they are turned off. So it’s best to leave them switched on.
Other ways to save money on your household bills
Check out our other blogposts that could save you cash on your bills:
- Make your fridge-freezer more efficient
- Reduce your tumble dryer use
- A safe hack for your boiler that will save you cash
- Tips for washing clothes at a lower temperature
And finally, if you have domestic goods in self-storage, check that you’re not overpaying for insurance by getting a quote from Store and Insure. Many storage companies tack insurance on to your monthly storage bill – but you’re not obliged to accept their insurance offering.
