How household appliance mistake could be adding up to £340 to your energy bills

One appliance mistake could be running up the cost of your energy bill by around £340.

Over the last year, millions across the UK have been trying their hardest to reduce their energy consumption to lower their bills.

However, many are not aware that the age of your appliance can have a massive impact on the energy it uses and could actually be costing you more, even when you are cutting down.

There can be several things with an older appliance that can result in the consumption of more energy.

For instance, if the seal of the freezer is faulty, your freezer will have more cycles than it usually does which can add to your bill as the freezer is overworking and using more power to cool the contents.

Stephen Hankinson, Managing Director at Electric Radiators Direct told Ideal Home that running an "outdated" fridge could cost you up to 1,000 kWh per year which based on the current prices equates to around £340.

He added: "So 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, William highlighted the typical lifespan of an average appliance can be:

• 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

If you have had a certain appliance longer than the average lifespan, it may be time to consider getting a new one, or if that is not an option for you right now, you may want to have your appliance serviced.

An expert can come and take a look at your appliance and then can advise you on whether it can be used for another few years and how it can be improved to help save you money in the long run.

If you are able to splurge on a new one, you should be looking at appliances which have an energy label rating of A+++. This rating is classed as being the most efficient, whilst G is the lowest.

You should also check the total kWh needed to run the appliance for an entire year, which can be found on the label.

This can help you calculate the cost to run it and whether this option is the best for your home and energy lifestyle.

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