Customers British Gas, OVO, EDF and Octopus warned to “stop using the oven”.

Four hidden energy leaks add to your bills. British Gas, EDF, Eon Next, Ovo and Octopus households and customers have been given simple switches to save money as the cost of living crisis continues up and down the country.

The Energy Saving Trust has shared little-known energy-wasting mistakes. Explaining that using the wrong appliance when cooking is the first pitfall, EST said: “If you’re cooking a meal for one or two, having to preheat an entire oven could be a huge waste of energy.”

Experts from the Energy Saving Trust said: “For example, cooking a 600g chicken breast in an air fryer costs £0.14 in the UK and £0.21 in Northern Ireland. Cooking the same chicken breast in an electric oven means you pay £0.20 in the UK and £0.29 in Northern Ireland.”

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Of the kettles, they added: “The trouble is that many kettles have a minimum water level of around 500ml. That’s more than you need for a standard mug and about twice the amount needed for a cup of tea. You can buy teapots that have a cup marker so you know you’re only boiling as much water as you need.”

At the boiler flow temperature set too high, texperts from the Energy Saving Trust continued: “Conventional hot water cylinder boilers should be set at 65 degrees to keep legionella bacteria at bay. There is no good reason to be warm. It also means your boiler isn’t running as efficiently as it could be, which increases your energy bills.

“Try turning the temp down to 65 degrees and see how that helps. If you have a combination boiler without a hot water heater, you can reduce it even more. But be prepared to raise it again if the radiators can’t keep your home warm enough during a cold spell.”