Five easy checks households must make before going away for Christmas to save £3,000 – it takes just minutes

HOLIDAYMAKERS planning a trip away this Christmas will want to carry out some essential checks to avoid any unnecessary costs.

Many of us plan on leaving home for a destination in the UK or abroad, to get some rest and relaxation or spend time with family and friends.

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You’ll want to make sure you’ve left your property in good working order so there’s no issues while you’re away and no surprises when you return home though.

Failing to make a couple of essential checks before you depart can turn out to be very expensive in the long-run.

The Sun spoke to consumer group Which? and Utility Bidder to find out the five priority checks to make before heading away this December – and it can take just minutes.

Turn off ‘vampire’ appliances

“Vampire” appliances left on standby when not in use can churn through more energy than you think and pose a fire risk too.

So make sure you turn off any TVs, desktop computers or electric underfloor heating before heading out the door.

Devices such as phone chargers cost 13p an hour to run on standby, which might not seem a lot, but it all adds up.

Turning vampire appliances off standby can save you £100s across the year too.

James Longley, managing director at Utility Bidder, said: “Leaving products on standby means that they’re still using electricity even when we aren’t using them, and if they are still draining electricity, then you’re still being charged as a result.”

Bear in mind, certain appliances, like fridge freezers, have to be kept on if you’re going away this Christmas.

Turn your thermostat down – but not too much

It’s pointless having your thermostat too high when you’re not even in the home, so drop it down if needed.

The Energy Saving Trust says turning a thermostat down by just one degree can save you £100 a year – that’s £2 a week.

If you’re turning it down from 21°C to 10°C, that’s a £22 saving over over seven days, and it takes just seconds.

Make sure the device isn’t set below double figures though, as it could lead to your pipes freezing and splitting.

The cost of getting broken pipes replaced is around £330, according to Checkatrade – a cost you won’t want to deal with.

Emily Seymour, energy editor at Which?, said: “Each degree you turn your thermostat down is energy saved.

“Leave your thermostat low enough that your heat won’t come on unless temperatures risk dropping below freezing, which would damage your pipes.”

Don’t leave any taps trickling

Dripping or leaking taps can waste up to 25 litres of water a week so make sure you do your checks before going away.

That means checking all taps, showers and toilets for any drips before closing the door.

Not only will doing a one-off check around the entire house save you some cash, it might highlight a leak you didn’t know about before.

The cost of repairing a leak can cost you up to £1,550, according to Checkatrade, something you’d rather not have to fork out for.

Water bills are rising too, so there’s extra cause to do any checks.

James said: “If you are a Thames Water customer then the average water bill is £456 – that is already an 8.6% rise on last year alone so you don’t want to build any more unnecessary usage.”

Use a timer for lights

Some people like to leave a light on in their home when they’re away to deter any would-be burglars.

But rather than keep them on constantly, you can use timers to flick on any lights at certain times and save on your energy bills.

The savings you’ll make depend on the type of light bulb you have, but Checkatrade says the average cost of a 3W LED bulb is £0.001.

That means for every 10 hours they’re not on, you’re saving 1p, or around 7p over a week.

At the time of writing, you could pick up a light timer for as little as £4.50 from Screwfix.

It might seem a bit of an investment, but it would mean making your money back after 450 hours.

Some smart plugs also let you set a random on and off schedule so the lights aren’t changing at the same time every day too.

Emily said: “Some people like to leave a light on in their home when they’re away to show signs of life.

“Consider using a timer so that you’re not paying to run a light for your full trip.”

Move furniture and open cupboard doors to allow ventilation

For obvious security reasons, you’ll want to keep any windows and doors closed before heading on your holidays.

But you should still encourage air to circulate efficiently throughout your home to avoid any mildew or mould build up.

That means moving furniture away from the walls and opening cupboard doors to stop dampness from building up.

Mould removal, if done by a professional, can cost around £1,200, so you should be doing everything you can to avoid it.

James said: “Ideally throughout the winter months, windows would be opened at regular intervals to allow for ventilation throughout the home, however, if you are away for a long period these need to be kept firmly shut.

“Instead, move furniture away from the walls to allow air circulation, and open cupboards to prevent dampness. These hacks will help avoid repair in the long run.”

Other tips for going away on holiday

Beyond the experts’ five tips, there are some other checks you should make, or things you shouldn’t do, if you’re going away this Christmas.

Make sure you lock up your home properly if you’re leaving it for an extended period.

Ceri McMillan, travel insurance expert at GoCompare.com, previously told The Sun if you are burgled while on holiday and haven’t done this, it could invalidate your home insurance.

This means you’ll be left to pick up the bills for replacing any items that have been taken, which could run into the hundreds of pounds.

Meanwhile, don’t post any pictures of you on your holiday as it can signal to thieves that you’ve left your property unattended.

You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk