Stop wasting energy on bad advice.
What if some of your go-to “energy-saving” habits are doing more harm than good?
If you’re finding that your energy bill is still soaring high even after employing your nan and grandads top secret saving methods, then we’re sorry to tell you but they’re talking nonsense.
We’re here to bust some common energy myths British households believe, so you can stop wasting watts and start making smarter moves.
Myth: Turning appliances off means they’re off
- Why people believe it: ‘Off’ switches = no power
- Truth: Many devices still draw power in standby mode
It’s a common misconception that turning off an appliance completely halts its energy consumption. However, many devices enter a standby mode when switched off, continuing to draw power. These are colloquially known as “vampire devices”.
These devices include televisions, game consoles, and chargers, which can collectively add a significant amount to your annual energy bill. GoCompare estimates that turning off these devices can save households between £20 to £103 per year.
What to do instead:
To combat this hidden energy drain, unplug devices when they’re not in use. This simple habit can lead to noticeable savings over time.
Myth: Double glazing means you don’t lose heat
- Why people believe it: It’s sold as a silver bullet for insulation
- Truth: While it helps, homes still lose lots of heat through walls, roofs and floors
Another myth that is a product of a previous generation. When double glazing windows were introduced in the UK, sales people had to find a way to get people to buy this new product when most residents didn’t want to splash out on new windows when they thought the ones they already had were fine enough.
While there is truth to double glazing helping to reduce heat loss, it is only a reduction method. They won’t completely prevent heat from leaving your home. It can reduce window heat loss by up to 64% compared to single glazing, which is a very solid improvement.
However, windows are only one part of the equation. In a typical British home, up to 35% of heat escapes through uninsulated walls, and 25% through the roof. Heat loss through windows only accounts for 18%. If you’re relying on new windows alone to slash bills, you might be disappointed.
What to do instead:
View double glazing as part of a wider insulation strategy. Combine it with loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, and draught-proofing for the best results. And if full glazing is too expensive, even secondary glazing film or heavy curtains can make a real difference.
Myth: Space heaters are cheaper than central heating
- Why people believe it: Small space = less energy
- Truth: Electric heaters are often less efficient per kWh than gas central heating
On the surface, using a plug-in electric heater to warm a single room seems like a thrifty choice – especially if you’re only occupying one area of the home. But the maths rarely works in your favour.
Electricity is generally over three times more expensive per kilowatt-hour than gas in the UK. This means that while the upfront cost of a space heater is low, running it for a few hours each day can rapidly inflate your electricity bill.
What to do instead:
If you’re relying on electric heaters, use them sparingly – for short bursts or in emergencies. A better long-term strategy is improving insulation, sealing draughts, and adjusting the radiators in unused rooms to control temperatures.
For most households with gas central heating, that will still be the cheaper and more efficient option overall.
Myth: Smart meters save energy
- Why people believe it: Smart tech = smart savings
- Truth: Smart meters only show your usage. Savings come from behaviour change
Smart meters are a great example of one of the nation’s biggest misconceptions in modern days, much like double glazing was back when it was first introduced.
The misunderstanding comes from the fact that people think that smart meters directly help reduce and save energy.
While they do offer real-time insights into your energy use, they don’t actively reduce it. They simply show you when and how you’re using electricity or gas. It’s the awareness – and the actions that follow – that can lead to savings.
According to Smart Energy GB, 86% of people with smart meters say they’ve changed how they use energy at home, such as turning off lights or using appliances more efficiently.
What to do instead:
Use the data smart meters provide to identify wasteful habits – like leaving devices on standby or running the tumble dryer unnecessarily.
The display is a powerful motivator for changing behaviour, but it’s your actions that save energy, not the device itself.
Myth: Solar panels work even better on hot days
- Why people believe it: Sun = heat = power
- Truth: Solar panels are more efficient in cooler, sunny weather. High heat can reduce output
Solar panels are starting to become more common in (or more on) UK homes as people become more aware of the fact that our typical British weather doesn’t actually affect their energy output.
But now the reverse has started to build up steam as a misconception.
Many people assume that a hot, sunny day means top performance for solar panels – but it’s not the heat that powers them, it’s the sunlight. In fact, as temperatures rise, photovoltaic (PV) panels become slightly less efficient.
High heat increases the resistance in the solar cells, reducing the overall electricity output. Most panels work best around 25°C, and efficiency can drop 0.5% for every degree above that.
What to do instead:
The UK’s cooler, sunnier days are actually great for solar generation. If you’re considering installing panels, ensure they’re well-ventilated and angled correctly to make the most of available daylight.
Maintenance like cleaning and checking shading from trees can also improve output more than waiting for a heatwave.
Myth: Electric showers always cost less to run
- Why people believe it: They heat water instantly, so must be efficient
- Truth: They can be cheaper per use, but long, frequent showers = high electric bills
Electric showers do have their perks: they don’t rely on your boiler, and they only heat the water you use. Sounds like a win, right?
But there is a downside. Here’s the stats – these units typically operate at around 7.5 – 10.5kW, which is a hefty power draw. That means a 10-minute shower can cost around 34 – 49p in electricity alone, especially on today’s higher unit rates (this does depend on the shower’s power rating – 9kW shower = 41p per 10-minute shower).
What to do instead:
If you already have an electric shower, keep your shower times short and sweet. You can also invest in a water-saving shower head to reduce flow without losing pressure.
For those whose home comes with efficient gas boilers, you shouldn’t need to compromise shower times to reduce costs – although it might still help!
Myth: It’s cheaper to use energy at night
- Why people believe it: Economy 7 and off-peak tariffs used to be common
- Truth: Unless you’re actually on an off-peak tariff like Economy 7, your rates are flat. Many households aren’t on those tariffs anymore
This one stems from history and the old Economy 7 and 10 tariffs, which offered cheaper electricity overnight. This made it ideal for chucking the dishwasher on or any other appliance like it.
Nowadays, fewer people are actually on these tariffs. If you’re on a standard or fixed-rate plan, there’s no cost advantage to running appliances at night.
In fact, newer time-of-use tariffs are starting to reward flexibility, not just night-time usage.
What to do instead:
Check your bill or speak to your supplier to confirm your tariff type. If you do have an off-peak plan, time your energy use strategically (e.g., dishwashers and EV charging overnight). Otherwise, there’s no need to wait until midnight to run the washing machine.
Myth: Turning radiators off in rooms saves money
- Why people believe it: Less heating = lower bills
- Truth: It can make boilers work inefficiently if not balanced properly
It seems logical: don’t heat the rooms you’re not using. But turning radiators off completely can unbalance your central heating system, causing your boiler to work inefficiently or even overcompensate to keep the rest of the house warm.
This is particularly true in older systems without smart zoning or TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves). You might even create cold spots and condensation issues that cost more to fix later.
What to do instead:
Don’t switch radiators off, turn them down instead. TRVs let you reduce the temperature in rarely used rooms to a low setting (e.g. “frost protection”) without shutting them off entirely. This keeps your system balanced and avoids cold rooms dragging heat from warmer ones.
Myth: All energy-saving products pay off
- Why people believe it: ‘Eco’ labels and marketing
- Truth: Not all energy-saving gadgets are cost-effective or practical
From “eco plugs” to magnetic fuel savers and infrared foil pads, there’s no shortage of miracle products promising to slash your bills. The problem? Many are based on shaky science – or none at all.
In 2024, a number of cheap energy-saving plugs sold online were found to be not only useless but potentially dangerous, with illegal safety markings and overheating risks.
Meanwhile, items like radiator reflector panels or draught excluders offer modest savings but won’t make a dent on their own.
What to do instead:
Stick with proven tech: smart thermostats, LED bulbs, insulation, and appliance upgrades with real energy ratings. Always check reviews from trusted sources like Which?, TrustMark, or the Energy Saving Trust before buying anything claiming miracle savings.
Myth: Switching suppliers regularly saves the most money
- Why people believe it: Old guidance from before the energy crisis
- Truth: With fewer deals post-crisis, switching often may not help. Timing matters
Before the energy crisis, regularly switching suppliers could save you hundreds of pounds a year. But after wholesale price spikes and government-imposed price caps, the number of competitive deals dropped dramatically.
Many households now stay on their supplier’s variable tariff (which follows the Ofgem cap), and switching doesn’t always guarantee lower prices – especially if fixed-rate deals are higher than the cap.
What to do instead:
Monitor the market (that’s where Switch Genius shines) and switch when the timing is right, like when fixed-rate deals drop below the capped rates or when special tariffs become available. The goal now isn’t to switch often, but to switch smart.
