Spring is now in full bloom, the months ahead should bring a welcome increase in temperature, which will ease heating bills until Autumn begins again in October. However, recent energy announcements could still see your bills going up, so even though the chilly nights may be coming to an end, it is still a great time to have some tricks up your sleeve to help reduce costs. But first, let’s walk through the recent announcements:
Ofgem announced in February that the energy price cap will increase by 6.4% at the start of April, which amounts to an increase of £111[1]. This rise pushes the already high price of energy up further, continuing an upward surge over the last few years.
Similarly, price hikes for water in April are predicted to increase the average annual water bill by £123[2], adding a further squeeze to wallets.
To help, we’ve put together a list of quick fixes to help keep costs down.
Use appliances at night – since demand for energy is lower at night, some providers charge lower rates when the sun goes down. If you can run your heavier-usage appliances (such as the dishwasher or washing machine) at night, it can be a great way to save.
Amend your lighting – if you’re able to budget for the upfront cost of replacing your lightbulbs with LEDs, these efficient bulbs can be a great way to save money in the long run, as they use far less energy than traditional filament bulbs. If you’re unable to make the switch (for example, if you have a dimmable system), try employing task lighting, where you only light up a smaller area, by using a desk lamp.
Consider a tepid laundry load – whilst not the best idea for the dirtiest of clothes, if you’re running a daily wash, it can be a good idea to put a cooler cycle on, as this will use less energy. Check your detergent, since many are designed to be operated at a lower temperature as well as high. Plus, your clothes will wear less quickly if they aren’t subjected to heat in the wash!
Adjust fridge temperature –it’s also a good idea to check the temperature of your fridge or freezer, since if it’s running too low, it could be wasting energy. Whilst the ice-power of a freezer does increase as the temperature drops, food frozen at -20 degrees isn’t going to last longer than food frozen at -5. If you’re prepping meals in advance and storing them in the fridge, let them cool before on a work surface to avoid making the fridge system work harder.
Be careful with your cooling – although we might not be at air-con temperature levels just yet, it’s a good idea to consider how much energy your cooling devices use. Whilst fans tend to be more efficient than air-con, the process of moving large amounts of air around a room will inevitably use a lot of energy. We’d recommend trying other methods of keeping a house cool – such as opening windows in the morning to aerate the house or closing curtains in the day to avoid direct sunlight.
[1] Ofgem – Energy Price Cap
[2] The Guardian - Water bills in England and Wales to rise by £123 on average this year
