An expert has warned that washing machines should not be used during ‘peak hours’ of the day for those wanting to save on their gas and electricity bills.
With energy prices rising from £1,971 to £2,500 for the typical household, families across the country will be on the hunt for energy saving hacks.
And they may be in luck, as This Morning ’s consumer expert, Alice Beer has shared her top tips on conserving your energy use.
The secret apparently lies in the times of the day you choose to use your appliances, the Express reports.
Alice said: “Lots of people asking me if I should switch to an off-peak tariff, look at how that works for you.
“We should all be thinking of using a lot less energy in that peak period [which is] 6pm-8pm at night. Can you switch to having your meal a bit earlier or later perhaps?
“Certainly not using the dishwasher between 6-8pm, that is a no-go.”
She then went on to share her tips on keeping costs to a minimum per appliance.
Speaking about dishwashers, Alice said: “Never, ever do half loads. One full load is much less energy than two half loads, that’s obvious.
“It’s more efficient to use a dishwasher than washing up by hand - especially if you keep a tap running.
“Then think about what you’re using in the kitchen - a kettle honestly saves you money and helps the UK’s electricity supply if you’re just boiling the amount of water you need,” she added.
Alice also suggested using the microwave instead of using a cooker when you can, as it is “much cheaper” to use a microwave.
The expert shared her tips on reducing water consumption to keep bills low.
Alice said: “There are three different thermostatic controls that you should have a look at. The first one is the one that is usually in your hall and it’s a dial.
“A lot of people won’t have their heating on at the moment, according to British Gas, the majority of the nation will switch theirs on in the week beginning October 24, that’s half term week and when it gets about 9 degrees outside, we turn the heating on.
“One in five have got that set at 22 degrees - that's Lanzarote temperatures! What it should be set at is somewhere around 18 degrees.
"We know that if you turn it down one degree, that will save you - with current figures - at least £80 a year. So that is one vital thing that we should all be doing.”
