Energy bill costs of average households are around £1,690 a year currently, under the price cap, which was updated in April.
But exactly how much you pay depends on where you live and how much energy you use – there is no total cap on how much you can be charged for gas and electricity.
One way households can lower their spending is by taking note of certain simple laundry habits, for example when they run their washing machine.
According to the experts at Gas Specialist Reading, there are certain times of day when running your washing machine or tumble dryer can “rack up your energy bill”.
This is because an increased demand for energy can “make electricity more expensive”, depending on your tariff.
Many energy companies charge extra for electricity usage during their peak hours. These price differences are called time-of-use rates.
Plans with this structure offer different rates depending on the time of day. Your energy plan may have cheaper energy rates during low-demand or off-peak hours and more expensive rates during high-demand times.
If you want to save the most money, read your plan’s electricity facts label to figure out when your energy rates are the cheapest.
The experts claimed that the “most expensive time for you to wash or dry your clothes” is between 4pm and 7pm, so “try to avoid” using your machines between these hours.
Energy prices are “at their lowest” between 10pm and 5am – it’s perfect for night owls and early risers.
However, make sure to follow fire safety guidance and never put a load in and head to bed for the night.
As well as using your washing machine at certain times of the day, using colder cycles as often as possible is best.
Washing your clothes at cooler temperatures for less time can greatly increase your machine’s energy efficiency.
The experts said: “A 30C cycle can cut your washing machine’s energy use in half compared to a 40 to 60C cycle.”
It is cost-effective to save your hot washes for any bedding, towels and sportswear as these items are most likely to host a multitude of bacteria. For even further savings, use the eco setting on your washing machine, if it has one.
Households should also make sure they fill their washing machines with the right load size. It is much more efficient to do a large laundry load rather than numerous smaller ones, so make sure you fill your machines with suitable loads.
However, make sure not to overfill the appliance as it may not wash your laundry thoroughly enough.
A good way to ensure that your machine will run as efficiently as possible is to check if you can still touch the top of the basin after filling either machine with your laundry.
