Nine electricity myths busted - from leaving heating on low all day to kettle error

The ongoing cost of living crisis in Ireland has caused households to struggle with rising bills. With this in mind, we have debunked nine myths to help keep energy costs down.

The ongoing cost of living crisis has left many households across Ireland feeling the pressure as they struggle to manage rising bills.

The price of everyday essentials, including energy, has seen sharp increases, with several providers recently announcing further hikes.

As households brace themselves for what could be a difficult winter, many are looking for ways to cut costs where possible and save on their bills.

Energy experts are advising that switching providers could potentially save households significant amounts on their yearly energy costs. Earlier this month, a report by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CPU) found that homes could save over €1,200 on energy bills just by switching suppliers.

In response to these challenges, The Mirror UK has debunked several common myths around energy usage, offering practical tips to help households keep their expenses down.

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From the true cost of using dishwashers and kettles to understanding how best to use appliances and heating systems, these insights could help Irish households trying to navigate soaring utility bills while staying warm and energy-efficient during the colder months.

1. 'The dishwasher is the most expensive way to wash dishes'

This one is tricky - according to Uswitch, there is "no absolute proof" as to whether hand-washing your dishes or using a dishwasher is more energy-efficient. This applies to both the amount of water and electricity used. Instead, it depends entirely on your method.

There are lots of factors to take into consideration - for example, how energy efficient your dishwasher is, what setting you have it on and how full it is.

When it comes to washing up, this can end up being more expensive if you waste water that you've heated up by not having a bowl and don't pre-soak.

Uswitch suggests you should just be economical in whatever method you decide to use. So for a dishwasher, you'd always want to use an eco setting, wait for it to be full and never waste water by pre-soaking. If washing by hand, then you would want to presoak - and you'd always want to use a bowl to avoid wasting water.

2. 'Overfilling the kettle doesn't waste money'

Wrong - experts at Uswitch recommend only filling the kettle with the exact amount of water you need. In fact, the price comparison website suggests not overfilling your kettle could save £11 (€12.70) a year on your electricity bills.

As well as saving money on your energy bill, you'll also save water being wasted in the process. Most kettles will have a scale on the side of them that shows you how far to fill them, depending on how many cups of tea or coffee you need.

3. 'Appliances don't use energy when they're on standby'

When a device is left on standby, it still receives power from your electricity socket - so it is still using energy. For example, when it comes to your television, leaving it on standby means it is still drawing power so it can respond to signals from the remote control.

Always make sure you turn off your appliances at the wall to avoid adding to your energy bill. In general, turning off appliances at the plug can save £55 (€63.57) per year.

4. 'Turning your thermostat up heats my house faster'

No - turning your thermostat up won't have any impact on how quickly your home heats up. Say you set your room thermostat to 20 degrees, the heating will run until the room reaches that temperature.

If you turn the thermostat up to 25 degrees to try and heat the room up more quickly, the boiler will still work at full blast and take the same time to get to 20 degrees. It will then keep going until the room is at 25 degrees.

5. 'Keep the heating on low all day to save money'

This one isn't clear-cut. Most experts argue that it depends on how well your home is insulated, as this will determine how much energy you need to heat it up.

Uswitch previously told The Mirror that the greater the heat loss from your home, the more energy you will need to maintain the inside temperature. Therefore, if you go by this logic, it is best to only turn the heating on when you need it.

However, some specialists who've previously spoken to MoneySavingExpert have argued the opposite - and say you should keep the heating on all the time. The specialists that the consumer website spoke to said condensation collects within the walls whenever you switch the heating off. This can then conduct heat outside the home, which could mean you lose heat more quickly in the long-run.

6. 'It's too expensive to insulate my house'

There are lots of cheap and effective ways to insulate your home without breaking the bank - it doesn't have to be an expensive job. You can create draught-excluder for free by stuffing an old jumper with socks and stitching it into a long snake shape. This can be used under a door that lets air in.

For old floorboards, a cheap rug can be a good way to stop cool air blowing in. We also previously reported on how using a €3.50 draught-proofing tape could save you €153.

If you're good at DIY, you could also try insulating your loft yourself - rolls of insulation start from around £25 (€28.90).

7. 'Smart meters don't actually save me money'

Partly true. On their own, smart meters won't save you cash. But the idea of a smart meter is that they provide real-time data to give you a more detailed view of your energy consumption. This in turn allows you to see how much you're using and where you can cut back.

Smart meters also ensure accurate billing, meaning you're more likely to be charged for exactly what you've used.

8. 'It is always cheaper to use appliances at night'

Not always true - this depends on what type of energy tariff you're signed up to. A few energy providers charge less for using electricity at certain times of the day, normally at night. The name for these type of energy deals are "time of use" tariffs.

Off-peak hours tend to be quieter periods when power demand is at its lowest, for example between 10pm and 8am.

9. 'The oven is the cheapest way to cook'

Research by Energia has revealed the appliances which are costing the most on electricity bills in Ireland. Its team of experts calculated exactly how much appliances use electricity-wise, and subsequently what that would look like cost-wise per hour of usage.

Oven

The average energy usage (wattage) for an oven is 1575, meaning it costs €0.58 to run per hour.

Air Fryer

The average energy usage (wattage) for an airfryer is 1500, meaning it costs €0.56 to run per hour. Therefore, using an air fryer for 30 minutes would cost €0.28.

Microwave

The average energy usage (wattage) for an airfryer is 1750, meaning it costs €0.65 to run per hour. Therefore, using a microwave for five minutes would cost €0.05.

In order to save money on electricity bills this winter, Energia’s experts recommend households make use of microwaves and air fryers.

The explained: “Using a microwave uses a lot less energy than a conventional oven. Microwaves only heat the food, not the air around it. What might take 20 minutes to reheat in the oven for 0.21c could take you 10 minutes in the microwave at a cost of 0.10c with your microwave.

“Meanwhile, using an airfryer for an hour costs 55c whereas using an oven for an hour is 57c. However, using an air fryer for 15 minutes uses over 40% less energy than 1 hour of oven use. This is because air fryers' smaller size tend to maximise airflow and heat your food even quicker than an oven.”

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