According to a new UK study, power-draining Brits are turning their homes into electricity-guzzling units by leaving household appliances on in standby mode.
Research has revealed that although 95% of Brits are aware that electrical appliances drain power when left on standby, 5.5 million (12%) of them still never ensure household appliances are switched off. This power-drain costs the UK GBP246 million in electricity per year.
The figures, which come from Moneysupermarket.com, show that more than four in 10 (42%) of adults admit they always leave appliances in standby mode or never switch them off at the wall socket. Unsurprisingly, those consumers with higher electricity bills are more likely to leave appliances in standby mode – 17% of those who never switch off appliances have annual electricity bills of more than GBP600.
The top three appliances left in standby mode include a microwave (39%), TV (30%) and computer equipment (21%). In addition, appliances such as mobile phones and iPods are often left to recharge for hours with consumers then leaving the charger plugged in – a constant energy drain.
The research also revealed that Londoners are the most guilty of leaving their TV in standby, and younger people are most likely to leave their mobile phone chargers in standby mode, with 24% of those aged 18 to 29 admitting to always doing this compared to 10% of 50 to 54-year-olds.