Home appliances make up around two thirds of the energy consumed in our homes. Some appliances use more energy than others. A refrigerator will use around 14 per cent of your home energy, whilst a tumble dryer will consume 6 per cent.
Simple solutions such as waiting until you have a full load to wash and dry and similarly applying this rule to your dishwasher will save money. If you have more than one refrigerator, it is worth switching the spare unit off as this will save you money.
The home appliances that use the most energy are the ones that create heat or take it away, such as ovens, water heaters, hobs and automatic dishwashers. The smaller appliances that you use in the home consume less energy (such as toasters, fans and kettles) but this depends on the frequency of their usage.
Using a microwave rather than a conventional oven will save 80 per cent of energy. When cooking on your hob, choose the smaller rings, to avoid wasting energy needlessly.
Heating our homes can be expensive at the best of times, but by using older models of boilers, this expense is greater, as their energy efficiency tends to be much lower than newer models.
A replacement boiler will save you money and energy and will increase your home’s efficiency. Before buying a new boiler, compare energy efficiencies online to make sure you know what rating you are getting and how this will benefit your energy consumption.
Use home appliances wisely
Follow these tips to make sure you’re saving energy around your home when you can:
- Avoid leaving any appliances turned on that are not being used, to save money.
- Your washing machine and dishwasher use several energy sources. Many new models contain features that focus on energy efficiency, such as washing in cold water or using the ‘no heat’ function of a dishwasher.
- When baking in your oven, avoid the pre-heating option to save money.
- Dust collects on refrigerator coils and will affect its efficiency, so if you pull the refrigerator away from the wall and vacuum behind and under it, this will help the efficiency of your appliance.
- Clean your dishwasher and washing machine to improve their efficiency.
- Clean your oven regularly to avoid the baked on fat from collecting and impairing its ability to heat evenly.
- Your tumble dryer will operate more efficiently if you take the time to clean the dry lint trap.
