Irish people could be unknowingly spending up to €30 more on their energy bills by failing to remedy some simple mistakes.
As the cost of living crisis continues across the country, many people are struggling to make ends meet as energy bills soar.
It has never been more important to save money on your household bills, and one place you can start is with your washing machine.
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Many homeowners switch on their washing machines without a second thought.
However, there are more economical ways to use your machine without keeping it on too long or with temperatures too high.
Experts at British Gas have estimated that running your washing machine on a 30-degree cycle instead of using higher temperatures can save around €33 on your annual bill.
There are also huge savings to be made by drying your clothes outside instead of throwing them into the tumble drier.
Joanna Flowers, engineer at British Gas, explained that there are ways homeowners can reduce their energy bills through their washing machines.
She said: “There are several things you can do to be more energy efficient with the washing machine.
“Use the economy settings to save water and energy and dry your clothes outside as much as you can when the weather allows.
“In the winter, you should also avoid drying clothes on radiators as much as you can as it will make your boiler work harder to heat the room.
“Setting your washing machine to wash at 30 degrees rather than higher temperatures will save around £28 (€33) a year on energy bills.”
Homeowners can also use a high-speed spin cycle to save money when using their washing machines.
Upping the speed of your wash will mean that they come out of your machine almost dry.
In most cases, this will mean you won’t have to put them through the tumble dryer, as air drying will be quicker than usual.
If you put your washing cycle on at night, this could save you up to €16 a year if you are on a certain tariff.
Exactly how much you save will depend on your energy supplier as rates vary between the different energy companies.
Experts also recommend waiting until you have a full load before putting on the wash.
Overall, this will help to reduce the number of washes you need to do each week.
Reducing your laundry by just one wash a week could save you up to €13 a week.
Although these savings may seem small individually, added together, they could save you a hefty amount each year, so they are well worth adopting.
