TELEVISIONS are essential in most households to keep the family entertained – but there are ways to cut running costs.
UK adults spent five hours and 16 minutes every day in front of the TV in 2021, according to Ofcom.
A number of changes to your TV settings can cut your energy bill
While the myth that too much screen time turns your eyes square might not be true, too much time will still add to your bills.
How much it costs will depend on your model, but having a less energy-efficient TV could be ramping up your costs even further.
Ben Gallizi, energy expert at Uswitch, told HOAR the most efficient devices use half the amount of electricity compared to others.
He added an energy-efficient TV using 36kWh per 1,000 hours will cost you £12.24 to run – up from £10.20 at the current price cap rates.
While a less-efficient model using 73kWh per 1,000 hours could cost £24.82, up from £20.69.
In an average home, you can expect the TV, DVD player and set-top box to account for around 8 per cent of your energy bill.
In other words, it’s not the worst energy-guzzling appliance but it’s still worth cutting costs as energy bills soar.
Below we round up a handful of ways to cut your TV running costs.
1. Switch off your TV
No matter how power efficient a TV is, there’s still a likely chance it’s using power in standby mode.
If you can, get in the habit of turning off the TV on the switch when no one’s actually watching it.
Switching it off will do more to reduce energy usage than anything else, according to Uswitch.
2. Use the energy-saving mode
Ben also recommended switching to an energy-saving mode, if your TV has one.
This usually dims the backlight, which means the power consumption could drop by a third.
It may also alter settings such as the brightness of the display.
You may need to switch back at night, but it’s a handy feature to use during the day.
3. Turn down the brightness
If your TV doesn’t have an energy-saving mode, you can still turn down the brightness of the screen yourself.
The factory settings are often brighter than necessary for most homes, and really bright screens aren’t good for your eyes either.
Ben also recommended switching on the ambient light sensor.
If you’re watching TV in a darker room with the sensor on, it’ll adjust the contrast of the picture automatically.
4. Unplug
While it likely won’t save you a substantial amount of money, unplugging the TV altogether is another way to reduce bills.
Many of us leave things plugged into the walls or with the red standby light still glaring away even after we’ve powered it down.
The TV is a so-called vampire appliance, and it’ll continue to suck energy as long as it’s plugged in.
5. If you’re buying a new TV
If you’re in the market for a new TV, there are a couple of things to keep in mind to help you reduce your energy bills in future.
First of all, the size and type of screen you use will impact your running costs.
In general, the smaller the TV, the less it will cost you to keep on, but the type of TV matters too.
If you’re buying a new TV, you should also look for the Energy Saving Trust’s recommended label.
That way, you can be sure you’re buying a TV with optimised energy-saving features.
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