POPULAR summer appliances could be adding hundreds of pounds a month to your energy bills, new research has found.
Millions of households are struggling with the cost of living, and many are looking for simple changes around the home that could help to bring down costs
1
Bills have already fallen as the new lower price cap came into force on July 1, which is good news for billpayers.
This caps typical dual fuel bills at £2,074 a month – 17% lower than the government’s previous Energy Price Guarantee – though the exact amount can depend on usage.
The new price cap is only on unit prices – not on your total energy bill – so if you use more energy than the average household you could pay more than this.
But popular summertime appliances could still be adding as much as £380 a month to households’ energy bills.
Air conditioning units could push up your energy bills far more than a standard fan, according to smart meter app Loop.
The experts calculated that even under the new price cap, a family of four each using an air-conditioning unit could add around £70 a month, while using a 35W fan would add just £3 a month.
Meanwhile, families using garden heaters when they’re sitting outside in the evenings could be pushing up bills by £144 a month.
And extra fridges designed to keep drinks cool could add around £5 a month to your energy costs.
Most read in Money
Loop calculated what the following appliances could add to your bills:
- 35W tower fan – 8p per day, £2.40 a month
- 70W beer pump dispenser – 17p per day, £5.10 a month
- 145W drinks fridge – 35p per day, £10.50 a month
- 1000W air conditioning unit – £2.40 per day, £72 a month
- 2000W garden heater – £4.80 per day, £147.60 a month
- 2050W hot tub – £4.92 a day, £147.60 a month
Dr Steve Buckley, head of data science at Loop, said: “While the new energy price cap is great news for consumers, it’s still important to keep a close eye on your energy usage.
“A warm spring has meant cooling devices have potentially been plugged in for hours at a time already.
“These costs may not seem that high on an hourly basis, but they can easily add up if you’ve got a few devices running or if you forget to switch them off.”
How to keep cool in summer for cheap
There are a few handy tricks that could keep you cool in the summer while keeping your energy costs down.
Try to keep the blinds down and curtains drawn, as this blocks out the sun and stops it heating the room.
Also, avoid opening the windows during the hottest part of the day as it can let in warm air – but open them wide when it starts to cool down.
Opening more than one window creates a through-draught to get air circulating.
Stick to cold food for lunch and dinner, as putting the oven on will heat the house back up again. Hot meals will also make you feel warmer.
A salad is perfect to make in the hot weather – and veggies such as lettuce, celery and cucumber have high water content to keep you better hydrated.
Splashing your wrists and other parts of your skin with cold water will help you feel cooler.
You can also apply something cold such as a frozen bag of peas for a few minutes.
Make sure to drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated, as this will also make you feel cooler, and avoid hot drinks and drinks with caffeine in.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
