Retailers could help householders in embracing a little knowledge to make simple changes to their use of home appliances to save money and benefit the environment.
The advice from the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) is the latest phase of its Know Watt’s Watt campaign and comes as cold weather and dark nights are setting in, alongside continuing high fuel bills and the cost-of-living crisis.
As much as £80 can be saved each year by always washing clothes and dishes on the eco-cycle, and £60 can be saved by cooking food in the microwave rather than the oven. Taken together, this conserves almost enough electricity to power a washing machine on eco-mode for two whole years. Other small maintenance tasks, such as descaling the kettle, can help maintain efficiency and extend appliance lifespan.
A recent YouGov survey underlined that people were keen to save energy to help achieve Net Zero and reduce their carbon footprint, with more than two-thirds (68%) saying they would do this even if energy prices went down. But two-fifths (40%) had made no changes to the way they used their appliances to save money since September last year, when electricity prices hit an all-time high.
Only 53% of respondents who made changes over the past year had used the eco-setting on their washing machine, and 32% on their dishwasher.
An amazing 24% of UK adults said they never ran a service wash on their washing machine, 18% never cleaned its filter, 20% never descaled their appliances that come into contact with water and 17% never defrosted the fridge and cleaned the door seals.
AMDEA chief executive Paul Hide said: “Many people don’t really treat their appliances as they might. Once fitted, the appliances are often forgotten about, regarded as self-supporting. But they are machines that benefit from small acts of care.
“So, by thinking about how appliances are used and giving them a little attention, households can save themselves money by using less energy and extending the lifespan of valuable assets.”
