Whether it’s binging your favourite show or catching up on soaps, our TVs are on frequently. But how much electricity does a TV use?
Most of us watch a lot of TV. In 2020, media regulator Ofcom found the average watching time for TV and online videos was 5 hours, 40 minutes, meaning that over a week, a TV could be on for almost 40 hours.
We’ve worked out how much you can expect to spend per hour or evening to watch your TV – as well as how to save energy at home.
The first aspect to consider when working out how much electricity your TV uses is size.
‘Televisions can be the most power-hungry of all entertainment equipment, particularly the largest ones,’ says Brian Horne, Senior Insights & Analytics Consultant, Energy Saving Trust. ‘The larger a television screen, the more energy it will consume, regardless of its energy rating. Even the most efficient 60” TV is still more expensive to run per year against the lowest rated 32″ television. By choosing a smaller television, you are generally saving more energy.’
The other element that affects energy usage is the type of TV.
Image credit: Future Publishing Plc/ Richard Powers
TVs are rated for energy efficiency on a scale of A-G, but since the scale was revised in March 2021, most will have an E-G rating. For an idea of energy usage, look at the kWh/1000h number on the label to work out how much it’ll cost to run over an average year (1,000 hours is around 2-3 hours per day or about 19 hours a week).
According to the Energy Saving Trust the national average price (as of November 2021) per pence/kWh of electricity is 20.06p. We have rounded it to 20p for illustration purposes.
Leaving the TV on standby will increase the annual running cost. ‘TVs and game consoles, which are usually left on standby, account for a worrying 19% of total electrical use in the average household, or 9% of the nation’s energy bill,’ says Matt Manning, Group Carbon and Environment Manager at Currys. ‘Switching off electronics that are on standby can save an average household up to £40 a year.’
Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore
Reduce the cost of your evening’s entertainment by looking out for these handy features that the best TVs will all carry.
An overly bright TV costs more to run, so look for those that have light sensors to detect the room’s brightness and adjust the screen accordingly.
Whether you’ve nodded off or forgotten to switch off the TV before leaving the room, a sleep timer will turn the TV off after a few hours of no interaction.
Rather than keep toggling the brightness settings on your TV, this mode will dim the backlight to help reduce your power consumption by up to a third. Great for the daytime, which can then be switched back at night if needed.
Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme
‘A typical LCD screen uses around £50 of power every year and many modern TVs don’t even have an off button and instead are left on standby,’ explains Money.co.uk’s energy expert Ben Gallizzi. ‘The only way to be sure you’re not using power when the TV is not in use is to switch it off at the wall.’
If choosing a smaller TV screen isn’t an option, one way to save is to turn down the brightness. Factory settings are typically brighter than is necessary for most homes. Take it down to the lowest you’re happy with to reduce power consumption.
While we’re not suggesting you limit yourself to one show a night, there are many of us who flick the TV on out of habit without really watching it. If it’s background noise you like, try putting on the radio, music or a podcast instead of reaching for the remote.
The post How much electricity does a TV use? And how much does it cost to run? appeared first on Ideal Home.
With more of us home working than ever before, finding the space for a desk can be tricky for some. But one homeowner had the bright idea to utilise her upstairs landing as a hallway home office.
Yes, that’s right – what was once wasted space at the top of the stairs has been turned into a brilliant home office idea. Using the landing is a great way of keeping your working area out of your living room or bedroom.
Having knocked down a small box bedroom at the end of her hallway to create one big open-plan space, Instagrammer Charlotte Summers from Brighton was keen to use it as a spot for an office.
‘Our open-plan hallway and study area is up there with one of the best decisions we have made in our home renovation,’ Charlotte told North Yorkshire-based sheepskin retailer Jacobs & Dalton. ‘We didn’t need the additional single bed and felt it made the first floor feel cramped and dark. So we knocked the wall down and it has created a much better flow through the house.’
Image credit: Charlotte Summers
Here you can see where the original box bedroom was situated at the end of Charlotte’s landing. It’s clear to see how knocking down the wall gave the large window beyond a chance to flood the space with light. The walls were then stripped and replastered, ready for a fresh new design.
Image credit: Charlotte Summers
At the other end of the hallway, you can see how dated the decor was – definitely in need of an update!
Image credit: Charlotte Summers
What a transformation! The landing has been treated to a smart refresh, with new painted banisters and balustrades, painted walls and, most strikingly, a brand new office space at the far end.
‘My style is monochrome and classic, with a contemporary twist,’ says Charlotte, who hates clutter and was keen to make this a neat, orderly room.
A map decal adds interest to the walls. While spotlights overhead keep the area bright enough to work, even on the darkest of days. ‘We are south-facing so this demolished wall flooded our hallway with natural light’ explains Charlotte. ‘A once locked-away wasted view of the South Downs is now a picturesque sight every time you walk up the stairs.’
Image credit: Charlotte Summers
Going one step further, Charlotte even created a built-in bookcase along the side of the wall. This smart storage solution offers extra storage but also creates a display space.
‘One of the main reasons I wanted to build our DIY shelving in the hallway was to have an open place to showcase our personal items in a stylish way,’ she says. ‘I wanted the space to not only be functional, but also form an interesting display of what makes us “us”!’
Image credit: Charlotte Summers
You can see that among the shelving is a space for a piece of wall art, with a picture light above to highlight it in the evening. ‘As this is also our office, I’ve kept the decor minimal to maintain a decluttered mind. Filling it with things that keep me motivated, such as quotes and prints that mean a lot,’ says Charlotte.
Through clever planning on this project that she managed to keep costs down. ‘I find one of the biggest money burners when it comes to DIY is wastage through trial and error,’ she says.
‘By planning your cuts carefully and purchasing materials in the most efficient sizes, you will minimise the amount of unusable wasted material. And save money on the way. As they say: look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves!’
Image credit: Charlotte Summers
For any DIY beginners out there, Charlotte recommends planning thoroughly before you start. ‘Whatever the project, make sure you have a plan,’ she says. ‘It doesn’t need to be set in stone, but don’t dive in until you can visualise what you’re trying to achieve. I’ve learnt the hard way that failing to prepare is preparing to fail!’
We love Charlotte’s clean, modern style and her new hallway is a testament to her vision and hard work. You can see how she documented her DIY journey on Instagram at @charlottes_homestyle – who knows, you might even be inspired to change your hallway to incorporate a home office.
The post From hallway to home office: this multifunctional space gets a big makeover appeared first on Ideal Home.
