Eight energy myths that aren’t saving you ANYTHING on your billsJessica ClarkThe Sun

HOUSEHOLDS are searching for ways to cut their energy spending but some tricks won’t actually save you any money.

Don’t waste time on energy saving tips that won’t reduce your bills – and could even end up costing you more.

GettyMake sure you know which energy tips and tricks actually work[/caption]

Energy bills rocketed by around £700 a year last month, taking the annual cost for the average household to £1,971.

The energy price cap is expected to rise even further in October.

That means households are looking for ways to lower their gas and electricity usage.

But some common tips and hints don’t actually help you to reduce your bills.

Remember that the amount of energy appliances use depends on a number of factors, including your tariff and how efficient they are.

We’ve rounded up nine energy saving myths and explained why they won’t help your bank balance after all.

Myth 1 – Washing up by hand is cheaper than the dishwasher

You might think that a dishwasher will use more energy than washing up in the sink because it uses electricity.

But it’s actually often cheaper than washing your pots and pans by hand.

That’s because heating up water uses energy.

However, it does depend on your washing up methods and how much hot water you use.

For example, some people leave the tap running throughout while others just fill up the sink.

As long as you only put your dishwasher on once it’s fully loaded, it should be cheaper than washing up in the sink.

According to Compare the Market, most modern dishwashers use 11 to 13 litres of water in each cycle.

The exact amount depends on how energy efficient your machine is.

Meanwhile, hand washing can use up to nine times that amount.

Myth 2 – Having a shower is cheaper than a bath

Even though taking a shower is quicker than having a bath, it won’t necessarily be cheaper.

According to Uswitch, a high pressure shower can actually use more water than a bath and end up costing you more.

It comes down to how much energy your shower uses and how long you tend to spend rinsing off.

If you usually have long showers, a bath could actually be cheaper.

There are steps you can take to reduce the cost of a wash.

For example, investing in a water-efficient shower head will cut down on the amount of hot water you use.

You could also use a timer to keep your showers down to a few minutes.

A four-minute wash can save an average household around £70 a year.

Myth 3 – Washing clothes on a lower heat setting always saves money

Washing your clothes at a lower temperature can save you money – but in the long term it might be a pricey mistake.

According to Which? the majority of UK households set their machines at 40C, but you could use 38% less energy by turning it down to 30C.

However, that’s not the only piece of advice you need to follow.

You’ll also need to run a monthly maintenance cycle on the highest setting with a washing machine cleaner.

Otherwise, the machine can become clogged with mould and grease, making your clothes smell bad and causing the machine to break down.

Replacing your washing machine would likely wipe out the saving you made by using a cooler setting in the first place.

Myth 4 – Always use a slow cooker

Slow cookers are more energy efficient than traditional ovens but they tend to be on for much longer.

This means, depending on what you’re cooking, it might not be the cheapest option.

It’s estimated that the average slow cooker uses roughly 1.3kWh over eight hours of cooking time.

One kWh of electricity currently costs 28p.

That means one meal could cost you 36p.

If you used it five days a week, you’d spend £1.84 – over the course of a year that would work out at £94.64.

Most people won’t use their slow cookers that often, but it does show how costs can stack up.

But using a 2.2kWh electric oven for half an hour a day would cost 30p per meal, or £1.54 if you used it five days a week.

Over the year that would cost £80.08.

Myth 5 – It’s cheaper to have the heating on a low level all day

Some people think it’s cheaper to have their heating on all day, rather than just whacking it up when they actually need it.

But this won’t save you money in the long run.

That’s because a certain amount of heat is constantly being lost from your home – even if you have good insulation.

Having the heating on a low level wastes a lot of energy trying to replace the warmth that’s being lost.

Myth 6 – Turning your thermostat up heats your house faster

It’s another common mistake to think that turning up your thermostat by a few degrees when turning the heating on will warm your home up quicker.

You might think you can turn the heating off sooner that way – and save money.

But your home will heat up at exactly the same speed no matter what.

So turning it up higher means you’re just spending more money for no reason, energy expert Kevin Pratt from Forbes Advisor said.

Turning your thermostat down by one degree can save you £55 a year – so turning it up by several notches could be adding potentially hundreds of pounds more onto your bill.

Myth 7 – Turned off appliances don’t use energy

If you just leave your electrical appliances on standby, they’re still guzzling energy.

If they’re not turned off at the switch and unplugged, your bills will be creeping up.

That’s even if you’re not using them – they constantly use energy so they’re ready for immediate usage when you switch them on.

Unplug any laptop, TV, kettle and phone charges when you’re not using them to save cash.

Myth 8 – Most heating is lost through the windows

You do lose heat from your windows, but it’s not enough just to draught-proof those.

You’ll need to stop heat escaping from other areas of your home too.

A quarter of heat is lost through the roof in an uninsulated home and about a third escapes through the walls.

Insulating your loft could save you up to £225 a year and installing cavity wall insulation could reduce energy expenditure by up to £255.

But this will involve a large upfront expenditure, and might not be possible for renters.

You might be eligible for a government grant to make your home more energy efficient, so it could be worth checking the criteria.

We’ve rounded up some energy saving tips that actually will save money on your bills.

Easy changes to your home could cut your gas and electricity usage.

The Sun