All Sky TV users must check one setting on their set-top box today

All UK homes are being hit yet another huge bill price hike this month with the new, and much higher, energy cap coming into force from today. The rise means consumers will now pay around 34p per kWh for electricity which is a whopping 50 percent jump when compared to last autumn’s prices.

With energy now more expensive than ever, now is a very good time to check the gadgets that fill our rooms as small changes can make a big difference. And a good place to start is your Sky Q box.

You might not be aware but buried in settings menu of this award-winning set-top box is a special “Eco” mode which has been designed to help cut down on power.

Digging into the menus and switching it won’t suddenly save a fortune but will certainly help shave a few pennies off the monthly bill. This feature works by putting your Sky Q box into a deep sleep overnight.

The majority of users don’t use their set-top device during the small hours so it makes sense to shut things down. Sky says that once activated, Eco mode will automatically kick in between 2.30am and 5:45am – that’s the time when the majority of customers aren’t using their devices.

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To check if your box is set to Eco Mode simply head to Settings > Setup and select Preferences. Here you’ll find three different standby modes including the option to switch on Eco.

Of course, if it’s in a deep slumber you might be concerned that programmes set to record overnight won’t be ready to watch when you wake up.

Sky has thought about that with Eco mode only becoming active if the box hasn’t been set to record anything. If you can’t sleep and decide to turn on Sky Q at 4am then it’s possible to wake up the box.

However, Sky warns that it can take a few minutes before everything becomes fully operational so be patient.

Clearly, Eco mode isn’t going to end your electricity bill shock but small changes like this can shave a few pence off your monthly outgoings and it’s well worth switching on if you don’t use your Sky Q device overnight.

Along with using this Eco mode, there are other things you can do including making sure your TV isn’t left on standby.

Not turning off the screen can cost you money and there are other devices that will also chew through power including Games consoles such as the Xbox and PlayStation.

Although it’s wise to turn devices off one thing you must leave on is your broadband router as hitting the off button not only means it won’t receive vital security updates but also sends signals to your supplier that something is wrong with the line. This can end up with slower speeds then being sent to your home.