How to save on home energy costs while away on holiday

Property expert Thomas Goodman from MyJobQuote has given us these tips on how to avoid returning from a holiday to an inflated energy bill.

*If you are on a water meter then anything from a slightly dripping tap to a burst pipe can significantly bump up your water bill. On average a dripping tap adds just under £11 per month, resulting in £130.80 added to your annual bill.

*Not only can a water drip or burst pipe add to your annual water bill but water can cause a significant amount of damage to your home, resulting in costly repairs.

In fact, home insurance providers are estimated to pay out around £1.8 million every day due to water leaks. To avoid either an increased water bill or a costly repair bill, simply turn off your stopcock. This is straightforward, but half the challenge is working out where the stopcock is – normally under the kitchen sink but it can be in an airing cupboard or under the stairs.

*As Wi-Fi routers are meant to be left on all the time, they use a relatively small amount of energy and are not the biggest energy drainer you could get. However, if you are going away for a couple of weeks, simply switching your router off can help keep your energy bill very slightly lower. As the average Wi-Fi router uses just 0.008 kWh, turning it off for a seven-day holiday would save just under £2.

*An electric heater must always be switched off when not in use. Even just leaving an electric heater on overnight can be a significant fire hazard, as the powerful heater can damage the socket it is plugged into and overheats.

*To protect your home from any fire risks and causing significant damage, make sure all electric heating devices are turned off and unplugged from the socket.

*If you are going on holiday during the warmer, summer months then it is advisable to turn your boiler off as you simply won’t be needing it while on holiday.

Be mindful, however, as some boiler systems may cause more issues when turned off for a long period and can result in problems such as your valve or pump seizing up.

However, this can be avoided by having your boiler serviced at least annually, if not just before you go on holiday, as a gas safety engineer will be able to determine any potential issues that could have an impact.

*If you are going on holiday in the winter, however, then it is more advisable to leave your boiler switched on. Most modern boilers have an anti-freezer setting, meaning you won’t come home to dreaded frozen pipes.

*The kettle and toaster are not only fire hazards but are significant energy drains when left plugged in. A typical toaster and kettle left plugged in and switched on at the socket will still use electricity, even though they are not in active use. Together they can increase your energy bill during a seven-day holiday by over £14. Unplug them.

*Fridge/freezers must be left switched on to avoid food spoiling while you are on holiday. In addition, a fridge/freezer which is left to defrost and warm up will leak water, causing a risk of fire and leaking. securTo save money while you are on holiday, throw away any food just taking up space and which will not be used once you get home.

Not only will this avoid you coming home to mouldy food but the less produce in your fridge/freezer, the less energy your fridge/freezer will need to keep cold.