Running just one fan through the night during hot weather could add almost £3 a month to your bill - meaning four fans for a typical family would add £12 a month to your energy costs.
With many people starting to turn to cooling devices during the hot weather, research from home energy-saving app Loop has revealed the worst culprits for adding to energy bills during hotter weather. Loop says some households could be forking out as much as £270 per month on keeping cool.
This is compared to £194 before the price cap was raised in April this year. For those households lucky enough to own an inflatable swimming pool, this could add another £137 for a small 2kw heater. Comparing a number of popular appliances used to keep cool – including air conditioning units, fans and extra fridges - Loop has calculated they could add £9 a day to a household’s energy bills. This cost rises to over £13 per day for homes with a swimming pool that uses a pool heater.
Loop is urging billpayers to monitor their energy use as the weather heats up. Whilst the cost of some of these devices looks low if just used for an hour, the cost can easily rack up if multiple devices are being used in a house over longer periods of time. Loop calculated, a family of four, each using a 40w fan in their bedroom at night, rather than an air conditioning unit could still add £11 per month, or £33 over summer, to the household’s energy bill. And plugging in an extra fridge to keep drinks cool over the three months of summer can add nearly £25 to bills.
A word of warning for those opting for the extra cooling power of an AC unit to keep cool during the warmer summer days, as Loop can reveal it could cost a shocking 55 times more to use an electric air-conditioning unit to keep a home cool in comparison to a standard fan.
For those looking to escape the heat of the house by going outdoors in the evening, Loop recommends keeping a check on energy use if an outdoor garden or patio heater is switched on if the evening gets chilly. Loop calculations show these could add around £50 to your monthly energy bills if used for four hours a day – and even more if you forget to switch them off.
A garden pool heater can cost 56p per hour to run - or £1,649.80 a year. An extra fridge could add almost £100 a year to your bill and air con £1,817.70. A fan may cost just 1p per hour - but that adds up to 9p if you use it through the night for 8/9 hours or £2.92 a month and £35.04 a year.
A patio heater could cost you 43p per hour to run - or £1,241 a year.
Steve Buckley, head of data science at Loop, said: “As we see the first patch of warm weather, many of us will be looking for ways to stay cool, but it’s important to consider how much some of this equipment could be adding to your bills.
“At first glance, these costs may not seem that high on an hourly basis, but they can really add up if you’ve got a few devices running or you forget to switch them off. And many households need to do everything they can to lower their energy bills at the moment.
“Monitoring your energy usage on these cooling items by connecting Loop – the energy saving app - to your smart meter is key to making savings. The free Loop Snoop can help you easily identify the culprits draining your energy and adding pounds to your bills.”
Consumer safety charity, Electrical Safety First, is urging consumers to follow its six tips on staying cool when using a fan after a Level 2 Heat Health alert was issued in certain areas by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency.
Product Safety Engineer of Electrical Safety First, Giuseppe Capanna, offers six essential tips when using your fan:
1. DON’T leave your fan on overnight
It may be tempting to keep the cool air flowing as the nights become humid but households risk putting themselves at risk if a fault occurs with their device while they are sleeping. Always turn you fan off before you go to sleep and ensure you have working smoke alarms in your property.
2. DO purchase your fan from a reputable retailer you know and trust
Purchasing electric fans from online marketplaces could leave you vulnerable to substandard and potentially dangerous imitations which could risk electric shock and fire.
3. DON’T balance your fan on the edge of a surface
Always place your fan on a flat stable surface. If your fan is balanced precariously on the edge of a surface it could tip over, causing the blades to hit the guard and put the motor under additional strain, as well as potentially breaking your fan altogether.
4. DO clear your fan of dust build up
If the vents or the motor build up with dust, there are two risks: one the motor may be placed under additional strain from the dust and grime and two, the dust could become a source of ignition if the motor were to overheat. Always clean your vents to ensure your fan works efficiently and is kept in good use. Make sure to unplug your fan and to follow manufacture’s instructions before opening the guard or attempting to clean the fan.
5. DON’T ignore a buzzing sound
If your fan is giving off a faint buzzing sound it may be a sign of an electrical fault or ‘arcing’ occurring at the plug. Always ensure your fan is plugged in securely if you notice any smell of burning or unusual noises, turn it off immediately.
6. DO check your fan for wear and tear
We often keep fans for years, storing them away in the cooler months where damage may occur to cables. Always check your device to ensure the cables are in good condition and that the vents are free from the build up of dust, which can hinder the product’s performance.
Giuseppe said: “With temperatures projected to exceed those of Los Angeles, people will look for any option to cool themselves down. It’s important to make sure you don’t risk fires or burns in your bid to stay cool so ensure you follow our essential tips to avoid an accident occurring. People should buy their fans from a reputable High Street retailer they know and trust, register the product with the manufacturer and never leave it on whilst asleep or out of the house!”
