As electricity prices have been rising significantly, in
some cases as high as 40% in just over a year, any savings that can be
made using home electrical appliances will be welcomed. Changing electricity
supplier could be one short-term solution, especially if you are currently
paying the top tariffs. But, in the long term there also needs to be a
change in the way that we use appliances around the home if savings are to
be long-lasting and make a real impact.
Although cash is incredibly tight in a lot of households,
big savings could be made by getting rid of old
inefficient home electrical appliances and replacing them
with modern, energy-saving models. Indeed, manufacturers
recently introduced a system for displaying the efficiency
of home electrical appliances, originally in an attempt to
allow us to gauge the impact on global warming by use of
that machine. However, the same scale from A (most
efficient) to G (least efficient) can also give a serious
indication of how much it would cost to operate that
appliance.
Many modern home electrical appliances are more 'intelligent', fitted with
processors capable of efficiently reducing the amount of power required to
operate it, depending on the amount of work it is required to do. For
example, eco-settings on dishwashers, washers and tumbler dryers allow for
lighter bills as well as lessening the impact on the environment.
Many UK households use
washers & dryers on almost a daily basis as clothes must be laundered.
Unfortunately, extensive use of tumble dryers is probably one of the
quickest ways to run up hefty electricity bills, especially during the day
at peak price time for electricity units. More expensive machines tend to
come with more energy-saving features, but although the initial outlay may
be high, cost-savings over a number of years will pay back the investment.
The other great labour-saving device and one that is used regularly in
UK kitchens is the dishwasher; although a great time-saver most machines
run for a couple of hours per washing cycle. However, a household could
save a considerable amount of money by using their dishwasher and indeed
their washer & dryer at night, when electricity is considerably cheaper.
So, if you do decide to upgrade your kitchen appliances remember to
look not only for the efficiency rating but also whether the appliance has
a timer switch allowing you to use them at cheaper times and so help
reduce your carbon footprint and the drain on your wallet.
