The personal finance expert has shared his top tips for saving money on energy bills
Money and small house in a file photo(Image: Universal Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Martin Lewis, the personal finance expert, has issued a warning about a ‘demon appliance’ that consumes the most energy in the home and should be avoided wherever possible.
During his BBC Radio 5 podcast, Mr Lewis provided guidance as energy bills soar with the arrival of colder weather.
Mr Lewis identified the tumble dryer as an appliance to use sparingly due to its high running cost of €1 per load. He stated: “Do you know what the real ‘demon appliance’ is in most people’s houses – the one that you don’t want to use because it’s really expensive.
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“Tumble dryers. You’re typically paying up to a quid per load so dry your clothes on an airer outside, to shorten the amount of time you’re using your tumble dryer, or avoid using it completely. Those who have dehumidifiers can take some of the moisture out of the air. It’s less wattage than a tumble dryer, so it can be more cost-effective.”
A live listener named Rob observed that his flat had become damp since he began drying his laundry indoors. He queried: “If I were to buy a dehumidifier, would it be cheaper than using the heating to keep the place dry?” Martin replied: “Dehumidifiers take water out of the air rather than use the heating and they’re much lower wattage appliances than standard heating. So if the dehumidifier works for you, it will definitely have lower electricity bills.”
A significant issue is that radiators frequently heat areas where warmth rapidly escapes outside. During a previous Podcast appearance, Mr Lewis recommended households should consider fitting reflective panels behind radiators – redirecting heat back into rooms rather than allowing it to leak through walls.
He said: “A tip for you reflective panels behind radiators. Sheets of reflective material can be placed behind radiators. Crucially, this is on external wall radiators, so the heat doesn’t escape. If you don’t want to pay for those, then tin foil can work, although it doesn’t work quite as well.”
He provided further radiator guidance as well.
He said: “If you’ve got radiators in rooms that you’re not using, go and turn them off before you turn the heating on so you’re not wasting cash overheating empty spaces.
“Changing the flow rate on your boiler can cut gas bill by over 9% and you won’t notice the change.”
Mr Lewis also cautioned households to avoid using a ‘demon appliance’ wherever possible. He said: “Other general tips included: “Check your TV’s on a low energy setting too and walk around your house.
“Be a draft detector – what drafts can you spot as you walk around your house? And then try, if you can, to seal them up. “.
According to the Uswitch survey, the typical household debt of €252 marks a 29% rise from last year’s €195. The average bill payer held €144 in credit last year, but this has now dropped to €110 – falling below €113 for the first time since the energy crisis began.
Households typically pay a fixed monthly sum that exceeds their summer consumption to build up credit for covering more expensive winter months. However, more than two million low-income families – and 10 million homes across the country – have no energy credit saved to manage higher winter bills.
Ben Gallizzi, energy spokesman at Uswitch, expressed his concern: “It’s deeply concerning to see that household energy debt has soared to an eight-year high, which suggests that many homes may face a bill shock soon as direct debit levels are updated.”
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