MILLIONS have been longing for summer, but the excitement could be short-lived as hot weather could actually add to your energy bill.
The Met Office is predicting this weekend to be a scorcher, with temperatures set to reach 30C in parts of the UK.
Households might not realise that their energy bill could go up in summer
But if you think hot weather means lower energy bills, you could be in for a shock.
Experts warn that leaving on little-known and easily forgotten devices around your home could be pushing up your bills.
You could be spending as much as £294.20 on your devices throughout summer.
Of course how much you’ll actually pay depends on how much you use the appliance and what make and model you have.
Here are some of the reasons your energy bills could rise this summer.
Leaving on portable air conditioners – £155
Not many homes in the UK have central air conditioning units.
This means, you’re more likely to have a portable unit that you roll out in the summer.
But Nicholas Auckland from Trade Radiators warned that these devices are still big energy guzzlers.
He said: “The average portable air conditioner uses around 1250 watts per hour, so if you were to have your air conditioner on for 12 hours a day, you’d be looking at spending around £5.
“If you had your air conditioning unit on for 1 hour, you’d be looking at spending about 45p, and if you have it on for 12 hours a day every day it would be £35 a week and £155 a month.”
If you kept it on for 12 hours in June, July and August, this would cost a whopping £465.
Costly outdoor lighting – £37.20
The chances are that you’re spending more time outside in the summer, so you’ll be using more outdoor lighting than usual.
And while it stays light for longer in summer, the longest day of the year falls on June 21 this year.
So after this date, you’ll notice the longer nights creeping in, and you’ll start relying on your lights more to enjoy the warm summer evenings.
Nicholas said: “If you have four 60w outdoor lights on, this would cost 0.08p for every hour that they’re on.
“If you leave your four outdoor lights on for five hours, then you’d be spending 40p a night. This works out at £2.80 a week and £12.40 a month.”
Across three months in summer, this would add £37.20 to your energy bill.
Keeping your fan on – £102
Fans are cheaper option when it comes to keeping cool in summer, but that doesn’t mean the cost won’t add up eventually.
Nicholas said: “Fans don’t actually produce any cold air, they just circulate air and create a breeze as well as help circulate cooler air.
“The average electric fan costs just 16p for every 12 hours it’s on, so will save you much more in comparison to a portable air conditioner.
“However, if you have your fan on for 12 hours every day, you’d be spending £1.12 a week and around £34 a month.”
This adds up to £102 across June, July and August.
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 [email protected]