British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON, Octopus customers warned over 'hidden' habit adding £145 to bill Leaving your fridges and microwaves on standby can cause you an extra £145 a year - 16 per cent of the average energy bill. British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON, Octopus customers warned over 'hidden' habit adding £145 to bill A hidden habit that can quietly send your energy bill soaring has been shared by experts. Leaving your fridges and microwaves on standby can cause you an extra £145 a year - 16 per cent of the average energy bill. Stephen Hankinson from Electric Radiators Direct says: “Putting something into standby mode is not the same as totally switching off a device or unplugging it. You’re only really putting the device to sleep. ‌ “This means that it will be drawing out some electricity in the background, which is where the phrase ‘vampire device’ comes from. It sounds so simple but switching your appliances off at the wall really is the best way to ensure you’re not spending your hard-earned income on keeping things in standby mode. Article continues below READ MORE Exact dates next UK mini-heatwave start and end with 72-hour scorcher set to hit “The cost of a couple coffees might not concern you, however £145 is a big food shop, two tanks of petrol or even a nice meal out. There really are much better ways to use this money than giving it to the energy companies.” ‌ British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON and Octopus customers are failing to turn off their electrical devices when on holiday - which is equivalent to £145 per year. Stephen Day, a home energy expert, Brits could be losing cash every year because of "vampire" appliances. These appliances consume energy even when they're not being used. He told the Express: "That little red standby light on your TV or the digital clock on a microwave – it seems harmless, right? But over a year, it adds up fast.” Voltaware’s CEO, Sergey Ogorodnov, revealed the “common mistake” many people often make - leaving their appliances and devices on standby. Article continues below The expert explained: “For the average UK household, washing machines cost around £70, tumble dryers £140 and dishwashers £100 every year. We strongly advise users to switch off these energy-guzzlers when they are left on standby. If you’re not running it, it shouldn’t be running. “Additionally, using machines at full capacity, rather than half loads, means fewer cycles and therefore less energy spent. Our experts also recommend using lower temperature cycles, as high-temperature cycles are very expensive, where a 10-degree increase can lead to a 25 percent rise in energy consumption (and an annual £12 extra cost).”