‘Vampire appliances’ raising energy bills for millions - how to cut costs by 30%

Households are being warned about the danger posed by “vampire appliances” to their energy bills but experts are sharing that help is available which could cut costs.

Vampire appliances is the term used to describe devices in the home which are left on or on standby and use a sizable amount of electricity.

According to energy experts at Voltaware, families could save hundreds of pounds a year by turning said devices off or taking advantage of new technology.

Over the past year, the public has been forced to contend with energy bill increases amid the cost of living crisis.

However, experts are highlighting that there are still ways people can reduce usage and costs without taking drastic measures.

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Sergey Orgorodnov, CEO of Voltaware, broke down why households need to be more aware of what is “pushing” their gas and electricity bills up.

He explained: “Consumers need to know more about the worst ‘vampire appliances’ in their homes that are pushing up their energy bills unnecessarily.

“And understand how to make simple changes to their behaviour and use of these common appliances – from washing machines, electric cookers and heating to electric vehicle (EV) chargers – to save £100s on their annual electricity bill.

“With energy bills projected to increase, and Ofgem hiking energy price caps to an annual average of £1,898 next year, controlling the worst vampire appliances in homes is essential.”

Here is a breakdown of how much people can save by turning off these “vampire devices”, according to Voltaware:

• Washing machines - could save £30 to £60 a year
• Cooking appliances - could save £40 a year
• Electric boilers and water heating - could reduce costs by 15 percent
• Electric heaters and space heating - could save £200 a year
• Electric vehicle chargers - could save £175 to £350 a year.

To help households better track their energy usage, Voltware has launched the Voltaware Sensor which uses AI to determine how much gas and electricity homes are using.

This gadget breaks down the energy bill for each device, including “vampire appliances” with real-time, daily and monthly reports.

It identifies the cost per appliance while enabling users to make meaningful behavioural changes to reduce electricity bills and energy wastage.

Families only need to get the Voltaware Sensor fitted into their home fuse box, syncing it via Wi-Fi to the app, and the cost-saving appliance will be ready to use.