Debunking 8 common energy saving myths

How many homeowners believe these common energy myths to be true?

Using an electric blanket or space heater is cheaper than putting the heating on - 44%

“While electric blankets and space heaters may be cheaper to run in the short-term, it’s important to remember they are only heating one part of the home and should not be left on for long periods of time. 

“Leaving electric heaters on all day is not cost-effective, for instance, a 2kW fan heater costs approximately 49p per hour when running at full power. Using it for four hours in an evening would total £1.96, and over the course of a week, it could add up to £13.72  In comparison, it costs around £2.00 for a 24kW gas boiler to heat the entire house, so you’ll need to consider what option serves you best at the time.

“For those that feel the cold, a good alternative to electric blankets and space heaters is a traditional hot water bottle, which means you only have to boil the kettle.” 

Closing the curtains or blinds during the daytime - 40%

“You may think that keeping the curtains closed during the daytime helps to retain heat, but actually when the sun is shining towards your windows it is better to leave them open and take advantage of the solar gain.

“Once the sun begins to set in the early evening, you should then close the curtains or blinds to retain the heat emitted during the day. 

“Another trick is to layer curtains over blinds or shutters to help manage heat loss in the evening.” 

Leaving appliances on Standby saves on energy – 20%

“Despite often being hailed as an easy way to save money, leaving electronic devices like computers, TVs, and printers in sleep mode or "standby" mode still consumes energy and could cost you more money than if you simply switched them off. In fact, the average amount of energy consumed by gadgets on standby can range between 9 to 16% of a home’s total monthly energy bill. It's far more energy-efficient to turn these devices off entirely when not in use for extended periods.”

Putting aluminium foil behind radiators will reflect more heat into the room – 37%

"It's a common myth that placing aluminium foil behind radiators will save on energy by reflecting more heat into the room. However, regular aluminium foil will quickly degrade and oxidise, diminishing its ability to reflect heat. Not only that, but it is likely to fall down due to the thin structure - meaning its likely to be more trouble than it's worth.

Radiator reflector panels, on the other hand, may be a better solution. These are no double more expensive than aluminium foil, with prices starting from around £20, however, are designed to reflect heat into living spaces and could save you money on energy bills." 

Using a microwave instead of the oven to cook - 34%

"Microwaves are often known as an energy-efficient way to cook, and while they do use less power than conventional ovens, they don't always save time or energy for every type of cooking.

They are great for reheating small, quick meals, however using them cook larger meals will take much longer than it would in the oven or on the grill. Alongside this, they may not cook evenly which could cause food poisoning.

It's better to consider which appliance is most suited to the meal you are cooking and take a mindful approach. Many air fryers, slow cookers, and pressure cookers are great alternatives to the oven, so using these instead may save you money and use less energy."

Keeping heating low all day uses less power – 33%

“There’s a common belief that leaving your heating on all day uses less energy than turning it on and off as needed. This isn’t usually the case; regularly turning heating on and off typically conserves more energy than keeping it running all day. When the heating is constantly on, your system works to maintain a set temperature, leading to ongoing energy consumption.

However, the energy efficiency of this approach can vary depending on the type of heating system used. For example:

With a traditional gas boiler, intermittent heating (turning it on when you need it) usually conserves more energy than continuous operation, as gas boilers consume more energy trying to maintain a constant temperature throughout the day.

For air source heat pumps, which work more gradually to heat spaces, keeping them on at a low level for extended periods may be more efficient than cycling them on and off. This is due to the nature of heat pumps, which function optimally when maintaining a steady temperature rather than heating from cold each time.” 

Running a dishwasher half-full to save water – 14%

“While it may sound like a good idea to run the dishwasher on a half load to save water, it can actually be more inefficient. While this type of program will use slightly less water and energy than on a full load, it won’t equate to half. Always run the dishwasher with a full load for maximum efficiency and use an eco-setting if possible.” 

Painting radiators black will heat a room faster – 10%

"There is a misconception that painting your radiators black will help emit more heat and improve efficiency, however the difference in heat output between a black and white radiator is no more than 1%. 

In fact, the colour of your radiator has minimal impact on heat output, so this isn’t something you should consider when thinking about how to cut down your energy usage.”