NOW the weather is getting warmer, families will want to make these four tweaks to slash their energy use – and their bills.
An energy crisis is making household bills rocket – in a matter of days, millions will see their bills double when the price cap goes up.
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The price cap limits the amount of money suppliers can charge customers for their energy – and it will take the average bill to £1,971 a year from April 1.
Soaring prices have meant cash-strapped families have had to choose between heating and eating, but now spring is rolling in, families can try and lower their usage as it gets warmer.
Making some tweaks to the way you’re using energy could shave potentially thousands of pounds off your bill.
Our tips below could save you £1,741 – but your exact savings depends on a number of factors, including how many people live in your home and the type of appliances you have.
Turn off your heating timer – £220
You might have programmed your central heating to come on automatically at a certain time in the day.
But as warmer weather comes along, having the heating on won’t be as necessary.
Don’t forget to turn it off though, energyhelpline.com energy expert Tashema Jackson said – otherwise it could add hundreds onto your bill.
“With the upcoming change in the cost of energy, every hour you have your central heating on will typically cost you around £2.10.
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“By turning off your timer during the warmer six months of the year, and assuming you have it on for around could hours a day, you could save about £220.”
Ditch the tumble dryer – £52
You might have been putting your tumble dryer to good use over the winter months when it’s hard to dry clothes properly.
But you might not realise how much it’s been hitting your bank balance.
If you’re a bigger family doing three loads of washing a week and and piling it into the dryer, you’ll be spending £154 a year.
But you could halve this bill and save around £52 by ditching yours for the warmer months.
Uswitch energy expert Justina Miltienyte said: “Putting it on the washing line is free.
“Your clothes will take longer to dry on the line if they are dripping wet, so use your washing machine’s spin cycle to squeeze out the excess water.”
Reconsider the hot tub – £641
Taking a dip in the tub can be tempting once the sun starts shining.
But while they’re fun to use, they’re guzzling up energy – and driving up your bills.
According to Ms Jackson, a typical 3,000 litre hot tub costs between £2.45 and £3.50 to run per hour.
That means if you had it on for an hour a day over the spring and summer months – March to August – it would cost you up to a whopping £640.50.
“Tubs are super expensive as you have to pay for both for the water you use and the electricity to power it,” she said.
That’s not including the water to fill it – which costs £4.80 a go – and the added equipment and water care items you need, which costs around £275.
Turn the lights out – £828
You may lose out on an hour’s sleep because of the clocks going back – but it could be good news for your energy bills.
It means that it’s getting much lighter – and there’s an opportunity for you to put the lights on less often and make the most of the natural light.
When you don’t need the lights on, make sure to switch them off – for example, when leaving a room, even if its just for a few minutes.
That’s because leaving the lights on unnecessarily could be costing you £828 a year, according to Utility Design.
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