WITH the cost of energy bills going up, many people are looking for ways to save money.
And one of the ways to do that is by running your household appliances at times when energy prices are cheaper.
1
If you are on certain tariffs, you will pay more for your energy in the day and less overnight.
That meaning puts your washing machine and dishwasher on before you go to bed could cost you less than running them through the day.
Energy regulator Ofgem wants to introduce measures to allow suppliers to charge more for energy at peak times.
Under its plans, published in July last year, smart meters will send information about customers’ electricity usage to energy suppliers every 30 minutes.
This will allow providers to use the data to adjust prices throughout the day, in theory making it cheaper for households to use appliances overnight and during other off-peak periods.
But fire safety experts have warned this could pose a danger to your family.
Stephen Curtler, product safety manager at Electrical Safety First, said leaving your appliances running when you’re asleep means you aren’t aware if they catch fire.
Here are his tips to avoid any danger:
Most read in Money
Why is it cheaper to run appliances overnight?
At the moment, Economy 7 tariffs, sometimes called “differential” or “multi-tariff rate”, are often a cheaper energy option than other price plans because you’ll commit to using most of your energy at night.
This means you can get a discount for the units you use during the off-peak hours.
These tariffs are best suited to people with storage heaters and a hot water tank, which can be heated up at night when it’s cheapest and then used to provide hot water and heating for the next day.
A lot of modern appliances also include a timer, so you can set your washing machine and dishwasher to run during the off-peak window.
It’s called an Economy 7 tariff because the off-peak window is usually a seven-hour period, usually between midnight and 7am – but this can vary depending on your provider, location and the time of year.
And in the future, smart meters could mean that energy companies can change the price of energy every half an hour.
Although this could make running your washing machine or tumble dryer cheaper at some times, experts have warned that it could also lead to surge pricing, particularly at busy periods such as Christmas.
What’s the danger?
If you are running appliances at night, you are less likely to notice if something goes wrong – particularly if they catch fire.
“Fires that occur at night can present a greater risk to people who may be sleeping and their response to the incident is delayed, Stephen said.
This is backed up by the London Fire Brigade, which has suggested turning off as many appliances as you can, apart from those which need to stay on such as fridges, before you go to bed.
He said that where possible, people should not leave appliances like washing machines, tumble dryers or dishwashers running unattended overnight.
“However we understand that some consumers who are struggling to pay for energy will feel compelled to do this to save money, especially as the running of appliances becomes cheaper during ‘off peak’ hours,” he added.
How can I stay safe?
“It seems inevitable therefore that during the current crisis more appliances will be running overnight so we strongly advise that members of the public do all they can to reduce their risk by following a few simple steps,” Stephen said.
He urged people to make sure they have working smoke alarms on every floor and that electrical sockets are not overloaded.
“Now, more than ever, it is imperative to ensure appliances are registered with the manufacturer so that in the event they are subject to a recall [because they are unsafe] the consumer can be contacted directly,” he added.
He also said that people should check that their appliances are in good working order, and clean parts such as filters regularly.
It is also worth checking cables for any signs of damage.
“Consumers should take care not to overload extension leads with multiple appliances,” he added.
“These simple checks will help protect consumers during an increasingly challenging period for millions.”
Added to that, a lot of today’s appliances are controlled by electronic software designed to turn off a machine if it detects something is wrong, such as overheating.
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team?
