Consumers are missing out on savings of up to £500 a year. Domestic appliance manufacturers are urging homes across the UK to press the eco button to help combat this October’s energy bill rise – one of the many ways households could save money on utility bills.
AMDEA,s* new Know Watt’s What campaign is industry expert advice on how to save money on utility bills by maximising the sustainable features built into appliances. Choosing the eco setting for every wash on a washing machine and dishwasher can save £90 a year. Using the eco-button is just one of the simple tips that could reduce bills by around 20 per cent when households will be paying electricity charges 80 per cent higher than a year ago (18.9p/kWh) at 34p/kWh.
These tips are now usefully all in one place on the Know Watt’s What campaign site. AMDEA’s expert panel say the keys to savings are using appliance design features better, choosing energy-efficient replacements and preserving the appliances’ performance with good maintenance.
It includes the Unlock Your Cost Savings section, which is a definitive guide to all the most important ways a person can use their appliance to guarantee a significant reduction in their household bills.
For those who need to buy a new appliance, AMDEA has also created a handy money-saving calculator in collaboration with Youreko, encouraging customers to buy as high on the energy rating scale as they can afford, as running costs can now be more critical than the purchase price as consumers brace for higher energy bills this winter.
AMDEA wants the public to know that using the in-built sustainable features on appliances can reduce energy and utility bills. Paul Hide, Chief Executive of AMDEA, says: “We want to stress that modern technology means using eco-settings will not compromise performance. The eco-setting is the standard to which all new machines are tested. Selecting it saves energy and water, which add up to real money savings over a year. Know Watt’s What is full of money-saving advice from our experts, who know these products inside out.”
A visit to Know Watt’s What will encourage homes to make wise choices that can save up to £500 a year, these include an average:
· £54 per year using the eco mode for every laundry load.
· £37 per year by always using the eco mode on a dishwasher
· £58 a year choose rating ‘D’ over ‘G’ if replacing a fridge freezer.
· £130 using a heat pump dryer instead of a condenser tumble dryer
· £108 a year just by ensuring the families daily shower is no longer than 5 minutes
· £33 a year by cooking a baked potato in a microwave once a week rather than in the oven.
· £20 a year using the fan rather than the conventional setting on an oven.
· £57 a year if you rely on sensor technology to detect half-load washes
· And a surprising £280 a year on a twice-weekly cappuccino fix if you dust off your coffee machine and become a Barista
Watt else is there to know?
Other features on Know Watt’s What include many more Household Hacks for saving while you wash, cook and clean and a quiz to assess savings savvy, with a prize draw to win a cool coffee machine.