An expert has revealed the cheapest time consumers should use electrical appliances like washing machines and dishwashers in order to save electricity.
Madeleine Murray from Change by Degrees electricity expert was on RTE with Claire Byrne to discuss the possibility of reducing the cost of your electricity bill. And she revealed which appliances use the most electricity and which are greediest in terms of energy eaters.
She said: “The peak hours for tariffs are between five and seven. We need to reduce our usage between five and seven. Our grid is under huge pressure at that time and your electricity will be most expensive at that time.
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“It’s all about spreading your usage throughout the day and also talking to your electricity supplier. Time of use tariffs are very important. You could move to a night tariff and possible save money there.
“Some people discuss having the washing machine or dishwasher on at night because it could be more dangerous. It’s important to read the instructions carefully on your appliance and when it’s best to use it for you.”
Madeleine also highlighted that night-time usage is between 11pm and 8am. She said that your electricity will be cheaper during those hours.
She added: “You need to be using a lot of electricity at night to make use of a night tariff. So if you have an electric storage heater, an electric car charger or a heat pump. You’d usually be using more electricity at night which would benefit from a night tariff.”
She advised consumers to invest in electricity monitors as they can communicate data via WiFi to show you how much energy your home is using overall or the devices that are hogging the most energy.
Speaking about the appliances that use the most power, Madeline said: “The kettle is a great one. 40 percent of people boil the kettle five times a day. Interesting, the biggest carbon footprint associated with your cup of tea is in the usage of the energy to make the water hot.
“Shortening your shower from 15 minutes to 10 minutes could save you €90 a year.
“There’s lots of appliances that are just on stand-by in the house. The electric shower, the light is permanently on, the PlayStation, any appliance or gadget that has a red light is zapping energy and costing you money.”
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