The cost of living continues to be the topic of discussion as groceries, fuel, and household bills all skyrocket.
Many Irish households are struggling to make ends meet and are keen to find savings on bills wherever they can.
A Home Appliance expert, Tom Daly from Currys Ireland has shared his top 5 tips to save on energy and reduce bills by making small changes to everyday habits.
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Use your fridge and freezer efficiently
Fridge freezers can be one of the biggest consumers of energy in the home. A simple way to reduce its energy consumption is to maintain or restore the appliance’s correct temperature as quickly as possible. This can be achieved by:
- Avoiding leaving the doors open for long periods of time,
- Ensuring cooked food is fully cooled before putting it in the fridge-freezer
- Checking the seals are working properly. To check the seal, close the door on a banknote or piece of paper- if it can be easily pulled out, it must be fixed!
The more frost your freezer has, the harder it has to work to keep cold, meaning more electricity is being used. To avoid using surplus energy, regularly defrost your freezer or invest in an auto-defrost model.
The position of the fridge freezer in your kitchen can also impact its energy consumption. For example, avoid placing it near direct heat sources such as sunlight and your oven or radiators.
Avoid leaving appliances on standby and use only what you need
Whilst certain appliances such as the fridge-freezer cannot be switched off, other appliances and gadgets are sitting around wasting energy.
By taking the time to switch off and plug out home tech like the dishwasher, microwave or toaster, you’ll be instantly saving on electricity.
When you are using appliances, use only as much as you need. E.g:
- Don’t fill the kettle to the brim when making one cup of tea.
- If you’re making rice or pasta, boil the water first in an electric kettle as opposed to heating it in cold water on a hob which is far more energy-consuming.
Invest in smaller gadgets such as air fryers and slow cookers
Supplementing your oven and cooker use with an air fryer or slow cooker is a simple way to save on energy. Air fryers are the gadget of the moment thanks to their multifunction features which lets you make everything from crispy chips to a full Sunday roast.
Air fryers consume far less energy to operate than ovens as they take less time to cook food, helping you save on both time and your electricity bill.
Slow cookers are fast on the heels of air fryers, with the popularity growing considerably over the past year. The slow cooker, which uses a little more energy than a traditional light bulb, is perfect for the likes of casseroles and curries.
Invest in smart, energy-efficient appliances
Older appliances tend to cost more to run, so once an appliance has reached its average life span, it may be worth upgrading to an energy-efficient appliance. It may cost more initially, but you’ll save a substantial amount of money in the long run!
Be sure to review the energy efficiency rating when buying a new appliance. The appliance will be given a letter rating from A to G. A being the most efficient, G being the least efficient.
- Use warm or cold water for laundry
- Opt to wash your clothes in warm water instead of hot and you can cut a load's energy consumption in half.
Washing in the water of 20 degrees or less, will save even more and many detergent brands have at least one powder or liquid designed for colder temperatures.
If you do wash at 20 or 30 degrees, it’s important to run a regular monthly maintenance wash with a washing machine cleaner at a high temperature to clear pipes and stop any smells from forming.
Currys Go Greener appliance range offers a selection of appliance options that use green tech to drastically improve your energy usage and save you money.
From washing machines that use less energy to fridges that cut down food waste, switch to a new generation of greener machines that can help you save every day.
For a limited time only, you can also get free delivery on selected Go Greener appliances. Currys has a wide range of energy-saving appliances on sale in store and online now.
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