Now that winter is firmly on the horizon, many UK households will likely be concerned about what the colder weather will do to energy bills.
These always climb around this time of year as we’re putting the heating on more often, and while this is often essential to stay warm, it results in an unwanted higher cost.
Because of this, you might be looking for some other ways to keep your bills as low as possible.
According to energy experts, this can be as simple as turning certain ‘draining’ appliances off at the wall, because even when they’re on standby, they can still cause your bills to skyrocket.
Ian Palmer-Smith, appliance expert at Domestic & General, has named some of the “worst appliances” that households should “never leave on standby” if they want to slash their bills.
Some of the most common ones include washing machines, dishwashers, tumble dryers, TVs and microwaves.
Other lesser-known culprits are computer monitors, printers and coffee machines, which you might not always consider switching off at the wall when they’re not in use.
Speaking about why these can cause your energy bills to soar – even when you aren’t using them – Ian said: “Appliances that need to heat water use a lot of energy – which is why dishwashers, washing machines and kettles score so highly on energy consumption.
“They use more energy than others on standby as they need to be ready to heat water instantly, on demand.”
However, turning your appliances off at the wall isn’t the only way that you can save money on bills.
Experts from Charis, an organisation that aims to help people save money on energy, say that there are a few things you can do around the house – in particular, the kitchen.
They urge households to descale their appliances as often as needed, especially the kettle, washing machine and dishwasher, so that they last longer and use up less energy to operate.
The pros also issued another important piece of dishwasher advice: “A half-loaded dishwasher uses the same energy as a full load, so always fill it up. And use the ECO setting if you have one.”
And if you’re in the market for a new appliance, checking out one of the most important features is key before you buy.
They said: “When you buy a new appliance, look at the energy label. ‘A’ rated appliances use the least energy. G-rated appliances use the most.”
And when you’re cooking your meals, taking one extra step could also end up saving you money and time as well, which is ideal if you’re busy and don’t always have a lot of time to prepare food.
The experts urged people to try and cook in batches, if possible. They said: “Cook enough for several meals and freeze leftovers for another day.”
This will reduce the need for using the hob or oven every day, as you can often simply reheat things in the microwave once defrosted – which is not as expensive to run as other cooking methods, not to mention taking less time.
