Full list of summer vampire appliances that could be adding up £650 to your energy bills
WARMER weather doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be using less energy around the home.
With Bank Holiday sunshine and warmer temperatures to look forward to, you might think that switching off the heating would mean your energy bills will drop.
But watch out for these hot weather appliances that could cost you a small fortune.
Households should be careful before reaching for hot weather appliances that could be adding up to £645 to your bills.
These “vampire appliances” drain your electricity when they’re left on for long periods of time.
Of course how much you’ll actually pay depends on how much you use the appliance and what make and model you have.
From fans to keep you cool at night, to taking an extra shower to cool down, these devices could cost you a fortune.
Electric fan – £27
Leaving a fan on overnight might help you to stay cool and sleep better, but it’s adding to your energy bill.
The average 40W electric fan that’s used in the summer costs around 16p to have it on for 12 hours, according to Nicholas Auckland from Trade Radiators.
If it was on for 12 hours every night in June, July and August – 92 days or 13 weeks – it would cost £14.72.
But Nicholas said this varies depending on the wattage of your fan.
He added: “It’s important to note that every fan has a different wattage, and fans generally range anywhere from using 20W to 75W.
“If a fan uses 50W, then it would cost around 20p to have it on for one night.
“If it uses 60W, it would cost around 24p, and if it uses 70W, it would cost 29p.”
So if you kept a 70W fan on for 12 hours every night in summer, it would add £26.68 to your energy bill.
Outdoor lights – £36
You might also be looking to pretty up your garden with some decorative lights if you’ve got guests coming.
If you had 4 60W light bulbs outside your home, then you’d be spending 0.08p for every hour they are all turned on, according to Nicholas.
“If you leave your four outdoor lights on for five hours at the darkest point of the night, then you’d be spending 40p a night, which is £2.80 every week.”
Over the course of summer, this would add around £36 to your energy bill.
But of course, whether you decide to fork out for this is up to you.
Nicholas said while it may seem costly, it may increase the security levels on your property as more light is likely to deter thieves.
Showers – up to £191
You might be showering more to feel fresh in hot weather, but spare a thought for your energy bills.
A high power, 10.8kW shower run for a total of an hour per week per person, would cost £3.67 a week.
Nicholas said: “If you’re in a household of four people, and you’re all going in the shower for at least an hour a week, then you’d be spending £14.68 a week on showers.
Over the course of summer, this would cost you a whopping £190.84.
There are lower power showers that aren’t as costly.
The least powerful shower is generally 6.5kW, according to Nicholas, which would cost £2.21 every week per person.
Across the whole of summer, this would cost £28.73 – significantly less than a more energy-hungry shower.
Portable air conditioner – £373
If a fan just won’t cut it, then you might be thinking about investing in a portable air conditioner to keep cool.
Nicholas said: “These run at around 1004W, so if you have your air conditioning unit on for five hours then it’s costing £1.71 to run.
“If you leave your air conditioner on for 12 hours a day, then you’d be spending £4.10 a day and £28.70 a week.”
This would add £373.10 to your energy bill over the course of 13 weeks.
Electric barbecue – £18
If you’ve got family and friends coming over to enjoy the sunshine, you might want to fire up the barbecue.
Nicholas says that while electric barbecues are great if you’re short on space, it’s worth considering how much they’re adding to your bills.
He said: “They usually run at around 2,000W. If you run your electric barbecue for two hours, it would cost £1.36.
“If you have it on for two hours on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday, it would cost around £4.08 to use it a week.”
If you ran your barbecue once a week throughout summer, this would add £17.68 to your bills.
How else can I save on energy bills?
There are plenty of ways to reduce your energy bill and some of them are pretty simple.
Summer is a good to think about ditching your tumble dryer and using a washing line instead.
It will make a welcome change not to have to crank up the heating every time we need to dry our clothes.
And always think about how much money you’re spending on household appliances – the kettle is ranked one of the costliest, after the shower, heating and a fan-assisted oven.
You can read about how much they cost and how to keep prices down in our guides – like this one here.
Also, Energy Saving Trust estimates that between 9-16% of electricity used in homes is through appliances in standby mode.
On a bill of £500, this could account for as much as £80. We’ve rounded up the worst devices to leave on standby.
And remember installing a smart meter is free and usually provided by your energy supplier.
They keep a real-time record of your energy consumption so you can keep an eye on what you’re using.
Meanwhile, we reveal the best way to use gadgets like air fryers and microwaves.
Plus, you’ve been cooking your dinner all wrong and it’s adding to your energy bills.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk