This week, a 100-year-old woman who lives by herself in Ireland was left “flabbergasted” after she received an electricity bill for almost €1,000.
With electricity prices going through the roof amid the cost of living crisis, many Irish households are looking at ways to keep their finances in line. And people have been advised they could be able to save hundreds on their electricity bill by replacing just one household appliance: the fridge.
As your electrical appliances get older, they lose their efficiency and start consuming a lot more energy. Stephen Hankinson, Managing Director at Electric Radiators Direct told Ideal Home that running an "outdated" fridge could cost you up to 1,000 kWh per year.
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Based on the current prices in Ireland, with Electric Ireland charging 43.27c per kWh, if you swapped your old fridge for a new one, the saving would equate to around €432. Mr Hankinson said: "Updating old appliances for newer models, where feasible, could mean a considerable saving in the long run."
William Hobbs, energy expert at My Job Quote told Ideal Home that the energy efficiency of appliances had improved "dramatically" over the last few years, mainly due to "improved technology" and "stricter regulations". Based on this, William said one of the "biggest" and "most unknown" energy saving tips would be to check how long you've had an appliance for and switch it out if it is much older than you expected.
If you are financially, or physically able to William says it would be "well worth it" in the long term. He said: "It’s worth thinking about the appliances that are constantly running, such as the refrigerator and ones that you use often, like the oven or your TV.
"Chances are, if you were to purchase newer models, you could find yourself saving hundreds, if not, thousands on the cost to run those appliances during their lifespan."
As a guide, the typical lifespan of an average appliance can be as follows:
- Washing machine - 20 years
- Freezer - 10-12 years
- Microwave - 8-10 years
- Toaster - 6 years
- Tumble Dryer - 10-15 years
- Boiler - 12-20 years
- Vacuum cleaner - 7-9 years
- Dishwasher - 7-12 years
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