POWERING down the most energy-hungry appliances in your home could save you hundreds of pounds a year.
A number of devices you’re using every day could be adding to your bills unnecessarily.
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Not all appliances use the same amount of energy to run – and working out which are the most power-hungry could save you cash.
We’ve already looked at the vampire appliances which eat up the most energy even when they’re in standby mode.
Everyday items like computers and security lights could be adding £500 a year to your energy bills.
This is because they are still using electricity even when they’re in red light mode.
Having a separate drinks fridge, for example, could add £118 a year to your bills, while having the outside lights on even when it’s not dark could add another £125.
Keeping a handle on your energy usage is crucial for millions of households as gas and electricity prices have soared.
This month the energy price cap increased by a massive 54% – pushing the average household bill to £1,971 a year.
It’s no wonder that millions of people are looking for ways to cut their consumptions.
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One woman told The Sun she has saved £400 by bubble wrapping her home to keep the warmth in.
And a financial adviser revealed how he saves hundreds using simple tricks like turning his boiler temperature down and installing smart radiator valves.
But a very simple money-saving tip that anyone can make the most of is to avoid using your energy-guzzling appliances as much as possible.
We’ve rounded up the worst offenders, and can reveal how much they might be costing you.
Tumble dryer – £223
Loading up your tumble dryer is an easy way to add to your bills – it’s one of the most energy-intensive devices in your house.
According to Uswitch, a 9kg dryer uses an average of 5.12kWh of energy per cycle.
With a single kWh of electricity currently costing 0.28p under the energy price cap, that means each cycle costs £1.43.
If you use the dryer three times a week, that adds up to a hefty £223 a year.
How to avoid it: there are alternatives to using a tumble dryer, particularly through the sunnier months of the year.
Hanging your clothes outside to dry if you have the space costs nothing.
Using a heated airdryer can also get the moisture out of your clothes.
They’re cheap to run and can cost as little as £30.
If you prefer to use the dryer, a simple trick help halve the cycle time.
Money-saving tipsters have said putting a towel in with your load will help soak up the moisture more quickly.
Others suggest putting your clothes on a spin and drain cycle in the washing machine first to get rid of excess water.
Washing machine
The washing machine is a household essential, but it’s also a major energy-guzzler.
A typical washing machine uses 3.15kWh of energy per 90-minute cycle, says Uswitch – costing 88p a time.
If you use it three times a week, that adds up to £137.28 a year. And many families will use it even more.
How to avoid it: there’s not much you can do to avoid using your washing machine, but that doesn’t mean you can’t cut costs.
Waiting until you have a full load is one of the simplest tricks in the book.
If you do two full loads a week rather than four half loads, you’ll halve your costs.
Turning the temperature down is another easy swap. According to the Energy Saving Trust, shifting from a 40 degree to 30 degree wash could shave £12 a year off your bill.
Meanwhile, using an eco-setting will save you another tenner.
If you’re on an Economy 7 tariff, you could also save money by setting the machine to come on through the night when you’re charged a lower rate for electricity.
One savvy saver told The Sun he washes his clothes between midnight and 9am to save £13.50 a year.
Dishwasher
Another appliance in the kitchen, the dishwasher one of the most power-hungry device in the home.
On a typical two-hour cycle, it will use 2.55kWh of electricity, says Uswitch.
That’s a cost 0f 71p a time – and £110.76 a year, if you use it three times a week.
How to avoid it: an easy tip is to wash up by hand, especially if you only have a few bits that need cleaning.
Use a washing up bowl rather than filling the sink to cut the amount of water you use, and don’t leave the tap running while you’re scrubbing the dishes.
If you are using the dishwasher, wait for a full load – putting it on twice a week instead of four times will half your costs.
Choose the eco-setting, which is typically at a lower temperature so uses less energy heating the water through the cycle.
And, as with any appliance, if you need to replace it, choose an energy-efficient model.
A new grading system came in last year, ranking appliances from the most energy-efficient A, down to G.
Which? estimates that an energy efficient dishwasher can save you £544 over a typical 10-year period – an annual saving of roughly £54 off your energy bill.
Electric shower
Who doesn’t love a nice, hot shower at the end of a long day? But your luxurious lathering up could be adding to your energy bills.
Uswitch says a 10-minute shower will use 1.42kWh of electricity – costing you 40p a time.
Assuming you shower every day, that’s an annual cost of £142.
How to avoid it: We’re not about to suggest you stop washing, but cutting down the amount of time you spend in the shower could slash your bills.
For example, cutting your shower length from 10 to eight minutes, would shave around £30 off your annual costs.
Turning the temperature down slightly will ease the pressure on your boiler, which uses energy to heat the water up.
And an eco-shower head uses water more efficiently, and could half the litres per minute that are going down the drain.
Plus, if there are fewer people living in your home than there are bedroom, you could save hundreds of pounds a year by switching to a water meter.
Some water companies give out freebies to help you cut your bill.
And if you receive Universal Credit, you could be eligible for these 11 freebies worth up to £6.598.
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