How to Work Out the Cost of Running Appliances
We all rely on our appliances to keep us well-stocked, well-fed, and maintain cleanliness and hygiene. However, appliances can come with a hefty price tag. When they break down, they require repairs; when we need a new appliance, installation is necessary. Moreover, simply using our appliances results in increased energy bills.
With the cap on energy bills having raised in the UK, it’s never been more important to know how to smartly make the most of using an appliance. Today, we’re here to guide you step by step on precisely how to determine the running costs of your appliances with ease.
Not all appliances are built equally
Here at Repair Aid, we recognise that every appliance can use a different amount of energy. Some models are environmentally-friendly green machines; some are energy guzzling powerhouses. Then there’s the type of appliance. Typically, appliances that have to generate heat are the biggest offenders – so fridges and freezers are less of a problem in the regard. But, at the same time, fridges and freezers have to run 24/7, 365 days a year. Then there are newer appliances versus older appliances with parts that might not be operating at peak efficiency.
While there are many smaller, less essential appliances around our home – such as alarm clocks, kettles and irons – these smaller appliances tend not to make as much of a dent on our energy bills when compared to major appliances, like ovens and washing machines. While kettles can have the same energy rating as a washing machine and also generate heat, a kettle is only usually on for a few minutes compared to a washing machine that can be on for a couple of hours every day or two. However, if you and your family enjoy a cuppa, your kettle may also be driving the bill up.
Recent research has shown that the UK spends more on powering their kettles than they do on ovens!
Determining the cost
At Repair Aid, we want to stress that figuring out how much it costs to run your appliances isn’t just a simple math problem. However, there are apparently ways to deliver a fairly accurate estimate. As energy is measured in watts and kilowatts (as in 4000W or 4kW), it’s possible to work out an appliance’s cost by simply knowing its wattage. You’ll almost always find this figure on the front or back of an appliance, or on the manufacturing plate that contains information about the appliance (such as its make, model and serial number). You’ll also find the information in the appliance’s user manual which can often be found online if you don’t have a physical copy.
From here, you can calculate the wattage that an appliance uses per hour. This is done by simply working out how long an appliance is used for (whether minutes or hours) and then calculating this with its energy rating to work out the kilowatts per hour that it uses (which is usually displayed as kWh). This is the same unit that you’ll see on your energy bill and is used to calculate the amount you pay.
Calculating the cost
Even though it may initially seem complex, the formula to calculate the kWh of your appliance is relatively simple – as long as you’re keeping notes. There’s two parts to the calculation and it’s dependent on you knowing the following things:
- The wattage of an appliance,
- The amount of time (in minutes or hours) that it is used,
- The kWh rate that you are charged by your provider
Current stats show that the average UK household is paying approximately 14.8p kWh, so that’s the figure we’ll be using here in our ‘follow along at home’ example.
First of all, we want to take the wattage of the appliance. Let’s say you have a 2,500W tumble dryer. First of all, you’ll want to multiply the wattage by the amount of hours it’s being used, and then divide this figure by 1000. Let’s say it’s being used for 2 and half hours. So we multiply 2,500 by 2.5 to get 6,250 which we then divide by 1,000 to get 6.25.
We then take that figure and multiply by our kWh rate which, as we mentioned earlier, is 14.8p. So, for our calculation, this is expressed as 0.148. This means that we take 6.25 and multiply it by 0.148 to give us a total figure of 0.925. That means to use this 2,500W tumble dryer for 2 and a half hours, it will cost us 0.925p.
If you want to work out the cost of your individual appliances, the only figures you need to change in the above formula is the wattage of your appliance, the amount of time that you’re using your appliance for and the kWh rate you’re on (this will be on your latest energy bill).
The five biggest consumers of energy in your home
Even if you’re not going to go to the lengths of working out what every appliance in your home is contributing to your energy bills, it can still be good to know what the most expensive appliances in your home are so you can calculate them or just generally reduce how much you use them. So, let’s explore five appliances that we at Repair Aid believe are likely to be driving up your energy bills.
1. Washing machines
If your washing machine is relatively new, you needn’t worry too much about the length of your wash cycles as all modern washing machines are ‘A’ rated for energy efficiency. However, if your washing machine is a bit older, then it’s likely contributing quite a bit to your bills.
To save money on your washing, try and cut the temperature down to 30 degrees during a cycle. Additionally, you’ll want to ensure you’ve got a full load of clothes in the machine to make the most of a cycle. However, our experts are keen to remind us that you don’t want to overload your machine as this can lead to problems that could eventually lead to too much stress on your machine’s bearings, causing it to break down.
2. Tumble dryers
Much like washing machines, older tumble dryers can be pretty inefficient. However, it is possible to get ‘A’ rated models or better. The type of tumble dryer can also influence how much it costs to run. For example, heat pump condensers are cheaper to run but come with a high initial purchasing cost. A good way to save money is by utilising the spin function instead of the dryer function as this will dry the clothes without using heat, cutting the amount of energy it is using.
3. Electric showers
Electric showers that generate their own hot water, rather than taking it from a boiler, can also be problematic when it comes to energy consumption. They can often be the most expensive appliance in your house and, as such, it’s best to set yourself a limit on how long you should spend in the shower. Another idea is to turn the shower off when you’re applying body gel, shampoo or conditioner. This’ll save some pennies that will add up in the long run.
4. Dishwashers
While one solution to the dishwasher problem would be to wash dishes by hand, dishwashers are far more efficient when it comes to water usage than if you wash by hand – so this allows you to save on your water bills. The best way to make your dishwasher more efficient is to see if it has a low energy or economy setting. Setting the cycles to 50 degrees or less is probably for the best to save on energy as that should eliminate most stains.
5. Electric fires
Sometimes used as a source of heat in living rooms, electric fires are huge consumers of energy – especially during the coldest winter months. Better insulation in the room can help, such as closing your curtains when the sun goes down and keeping yourself wrapped up warm to save on the cost of keeping the electric fire on for too long. Also, keep it off when you’re not in the room too.
In this article, we’ll guide you through various types of heaters and help you determine the best option for your needs.
Turn off to save
Even though we’re calculating our costs, there’s really only one way to save: turn off your appliances. With many years of experience working in homes across London, we’ve seen a lot of appliances left on standby. Even though the level of energy consumption in this mode isn’t massive, it adds up over time and can really drive the bill up. In fact, research from the Energy Saving Trust shows that the average household spends an extra £30 on their annual energy bill through leaving appliances on stand-by.
By working out your energy consumption, and just generally thinking more about the energy that you use (or don’t ‘use’) on a daily basis, you can drive your energy bills back down.
Also some home appliances are more prone to breakdowns than others. When these breakdowns happen, it’s a prime opportunity to replace them with energy-efficient models. This not only ensures uninterrupted functionality but also saves money on utility bills in the long run.