British Gas, OVO, Octopus, EDF, EON customers warned 'stop' using extension cables

British Gas, OVO, Octopus, EDF, EON customers warned 'stop' using extension cables
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British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON and Octopus customers have been urged to tackle "vampire power" - or the electricity drawn by devices and appliances even when they're switched off. In a warning after Christmas, households are being told to switch off items like TVs, computers, printers, coffee makers, and even electric toothbrushes.

And larger appliances can be fire threats when used with extension cords or power strips. Professional electrician Paul Martinez, owner of Electrified NYC, explains that appliances using 1,500 watts of power or should always be plugged into a electrical wall outlet. "No extension cords whatsoever," he warned.

If you're not sure which devices and appliances shouldn't be plugged into extension cords, experts recommend avoiding air fryers, microwaves, toasters, fridges, space heaters and electric heaters. Plugging extension cords into other extension cords is another huge "no" in the electrical world, too.

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This practice, known as "daisy chaining," can lead to the circuit overheating, which would cause the cords to overheat. The Natural Resources Defense Council has warned the cost of always-on devices at up to £135 per household per year on average.

"Let's say you connect [an extension cord] to a floor heater," Martinez says, "the plug melts and it starts a fire. That's why you can't use extension cords and/or power strips for any appliances, because they should be used for electronics only."

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"People just buy a 5,000 BTU air conditioner, because it'son sale, and they think it's going to cool off [their home], and it does not, " Martinez says. "[AC units] are supposed to cycle on and off, so they don't pull that much energy. So if you undersize it, the compressor is going to work 10 times harder."

"A lot of people don't have knowledge of extension cords," said Martinez. "If extension cords are 14-gauge, and you're running an appliance with a heating element, [such as] a toaster oven, microwave or dishwasher, a 14-gauge will not hold the amperage and can burn up the extension cord"