No one likes receiving energy bills that are higher than expected. Find out how much money you could really save by using your appliances more efficiently.
The average UK household spends around £1,264 a year on their duel fuel bill. However, this figure can fluctuate, particularly during the winter months, depending on how efficiently you use your appliances.
It’s easy to forget that the simple act of flicking on a switch costs money – at least until the bill arrives and brings the reality sharply home.
Luckily, there are lots of tips for cutting down on your appliance bills. But how much money could you really save?
Cutback on washing machine usage
According to uSwitch, your washing machine accounts for 7% of your energy bill – so it’s important to use it as efficiently as possible.
We’ve all been there – you come home to clothes strewn all over the floor and it’s easier to chuck them in the washing machine than to work out what’s clean and what’s not.
However, by being a little more selective, and cutting down on washing machine usage to one cycle per week, you can save £5 a year on energy and £8 a year on metred water bills.
Wash clothes on a 30C cycle
Think the heat you wash your clothes at won’t affect your energy bill? Think again. Simply washing your clothes at 30C, rather than the usual 40C, can shave around £6 a year off your energy bills.
Only fill the kettle with the amount of water you need
Most of us fill the kettle to a random level every time we boil it – even if we’re only making a cuppa for ourselves! By only filling the kettle with the amount of water you need, you can save around £7 a year.
Turn off your appliances when they’re not in use
It might sound obvious, but the vast majority of households don’t turn off all of their appliances when they’re not in use – and it can cost a lot more than you expect.
The only appliances that shouldn’t be turned off are satellite and digital TV boxes (if they’ve been set to record programmes), and of course, your fridge/ freezer.
Simply turning appliances off when you’re not using them could save you £50-£90 a year.
Regularly defrost your freezer
Many people only defrost their freezer once a year – but you should do it every time the ice on the interior walls is more than half an inch thick.
Not defrosting the appliance as often as you should may result in it having to work harder, pushing up your energy bills. Following the ‘half an inch rule’ can save you around £100 a year.
So, how much could you really save?
Every little helps and the above changes could save you up to £216 a year. However, there are lots of other things that you can do to push this saving up even further. Here are some more money saving tips:
Change the way you use your tumble dryer
According to Which?, an inefficient tumble dryer can cost a massive £139 a year. Aside from investing in a more energy efficient model, the following can help:
- Fill the appliance up to the maximum load, every time
- Use a high spin speed on your washing machine to dry the clothes as much as possible
- Make sure to clean the lint filter every time you use the machine
Change the way you cook
According to uSwitch, cooking accounts for around 4% of the average gas and electricity bill. You can reduce this by:
- Cooking as much as possible in one go and then freezing it for later
- Not opening the oven door whilst cooking
- Cutting food into smaller pieces that will cook faster and pre-boiling potatoes before you roast them
Repair don’t replace
In most cases, replacing an appliance is much more expensive than maintaining it or having it repaired (and repairing it is better for the environment too!). At Capital Repairs, our highly trained engineers are on call 24/7 in London and the Home Counties, and can fix your appliance in no time at all. Contact us today to find out more.
No one likes to receive an energy bill that’s higher than expected. But by using your appliances more efficiently, you can save money and be kinder to the environment.
*All of the figures in this article are estimates and taken from external sources.
Image by Pixabay
