As a student, I’m always looking at way to save money wherever I can. It’s amazing how far an extra ten quid here and there can really go, making a huge difference to my everyday life.

As you can imagine when my monthly utility bills arrive it is often met with gritted teeth – anxiously waiting to see how much the monetary damage is this time around.

So, imagine my surprise when I found out that the majority of my energy bills came from the use of just a handful of appliances…

What are the appliances that use the most energy?

At a time where my energy bills have been rising and rising (as they have been for all of us) many customers don’t understand why this is so. The closing months of 2021 have brought a massive surge in energy prices that has impacted both consumers and energy companies deeply. Already, more than 20 energy suppliers have shut down as consumer prices continue to inflate.

To bring our energy bills back under control British households have to fight a battle on two fronts. Firstly, we need to make sure that we are on the right energy tariff while maintaining a close eye on our overall energy consumption by trying to use high-output appliances a little less.

One of the common methods in which customers can keep track of their energy use is through smart meters, which provide the ability to look into the details of energy use. This detail can be used as in insight into high-wattage appliances and where to potentially cut down use.

Once I had a peek, I couldn’t believe what I found…

What appliances commonly use the most electricity?

If you’re at a loss in working out which home appliances use the most electricity then you may be better off looking straight at our short list of common high energy-use sources. Being aware of these can improve your chances of cutting down your electricity usage, and thus your bills.

Some of the biggest energy drainers in the house include:

1 – Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC): Built-in air conditioning systems are a little more uncommon across the UK than they are in the US, but they can still be found throughout some office/commercial systems. They are powerful tool in controlling a property’s ambient temperature but can have a substantial impact on energy consumption. Regular servicing and maintenance can ensure that the system is working as efficiently as possible, while also investing in insulation traps as much heat as possible.

2 – Fridge: Fridges are obviously entirely critical in keeping food fresh and avoiding spoiling, but running cold air so constantly comes with a cost. For me, a full fridge means a happy house. As a fridge needs to be kept running 24 hours a day, they can often account for over 30% of a home’s energy use. Although it doesn’t make much sense for those in university house to invest in a newer, more energy efficient refrigerator – for those that can, it could save over £110 a year in energy bills! It is also possible to push your bills down yet further by completing the following:

Keep fridge at recommended temperature by manufacturer
Minimise the time that the fridge door is left open
By not overloading the fridge with produce

3 – Washer and Dryer:

A saving grace in our flat of four boys, our washing machine definitely gets put through its paces. Washing machines for a family of four can use in excess of 36 kWH of energy per month, which can add up to a serious sum. If the family also uses a tumble dryer for drying clothes, then add on another 48 kWH per month! Reduction in energy is still possible when using our washing machines and tumble dryers, we just need to follow the following steps:

Try to avoid washing at high temperatures where possible, 30-40 degrees is plenty
Always ensure there is a full load in the machine, under-loading can be wasteful
Where possible, dry your clothes naturally indoors or outdoors instead of using the tumble dryer

4 – Dishwasher:

Interestingly, using a dishwasher can actually be better for overall energy conservation than washing dishes by hand – but this is not to say it is without energy waste. For those that love to leave the hot tap running this is aimed at you… Similarly to washing machines, always ensure there is a full load in the dish washer before switching it on and use the eco setting if there is one.

5 – TVs:

Modern TVs are well established to use much more power than traditional televisions from years ago – although I for one cannot imagine a return to sitting in front of a tiny, dim, boxy TV for entertainment. Although within this, there are some TVs being more/less efficient than others. LED TVs are regularly the most energy-efficient as they switch off pixels when they are not in use – I.e. when black images are on screen. Critics say that this produces a picture with deeper blacks, but for energy conscious consumers this means energy savings!

If you’re someone who loves to spend 5 hours vegetating in front of an LED TV per day , this will require about 11kWH per month. It is crucial to switch of TVs at the plug socket when not in use, as standby mode can draw up to about 80% as much energy as when its active.

6 – Computer:

This was a killer for me – often leaving my PC on standby while at lectures, returning home to charge my laptop while working on my PC, it is a truly vicious cycle. Laptops and desktops can also contribute significantly to household energy bills – especially while many are working from home. Leaving computers on all day or leaving laptops plugged into the wall charging while we work can be slightly wasteful. For those homes with Economy 7 meters, it is possible to save money by charging laptops and other devices during off-peak hours.

Why are energy bills so high?

The cost of living is undeniably high at the moment and everyone is feeling the pinch with inflation at a 10-year high, while wages have remained largely the same. Add into the mix record high energy bills and there’s no denying that we all just have a little bit less money to make ends meet. As already mentioned there are two main reasons for this:

Lack of energy efficiency throughout homes: Many of us simply won’t realise the bad energy habits we have that reduce the energy efficiency of our households. Many appliances are left on standby, computers remain switched on overnight, lights left to illuminate empty rooms, and TVs used for background noise with no one watching. Over an extended period of time small inefficiencies can add up to make a huge difference.
Recent increase in energy prices: Wholesale prices are at an all-time high and it has been all over the news, this has meant that suppliers have had no option but to pass on some of the costs onto consumers. Ofgem as a result has increased the price cap in the energy market in October 2021 to £1277 per year – looking set to possibly increase further in 2022.

Is there anything else to be done to cut down energy bills?

We can all often feel helpless in the face of rising energy costs, but there are a number of tactics to employ to cut energy usage and save on monthly bills. None of these cost an arm or a leg, but are incredibly effective nonetheless. It is amazing the peace of mind I managed to obtain after implementing some of these.

Install a smart meter

Although it won’t reduce costs over night, it does offer a brilliant way to track the impact of energy-saving measures around the home. An added bonus? Smart meters transmit usage data directly to your energy supplier so you don’t need to worry about wasting money on estimated bills or wasting time submitting meter readings. If you like the sound of this – speak to your supplier and they will fit one free of charge.

Use appliances in off-peak times

For customers with dual-rate meters like Economy 7 or Economy 10 there is an opportunity to save around 50% on your unit rate by shifting energy use to off-peak times. Even if you don’t happen to be a night owl like me, you can still benefit from charging devices overnight or even by programming washing machines and dishwashers to operate during off-peak hours.

Unplug or turn off appliances on standby mode

Games consoles, TVs, Computers – any device with a standby mode will drain needless energy, coming back to bite you with your monthly bill. I found this out the hard way and haven’t looked back since. Doing a quick once over of your appliances before bed or once finished could save serious money. It’s now a part of my nightly routine in the same way as brushing my teeth before bed is.

Niccolo Gas – Keeping utility costs low

At Niccolo Gas, we have a wide range of tariffs available – suiting every business type and industry. In our experience we have found that often customers cannot pay their energy bills as they are on the wrong contract to begin with.

This is not something you have to worry about with us.

Speak to Niccolo Gas today to find out how much money you could save!

Phone: 0131 610 8868

Email: info@niccolo.co.uk

Webform: Click Here

We look forward to hearing from you!