Appliances are the part of your electricity bill you control with settings rather than purchases. SEAI’s Reduce Your Use advice includes a short list of changes for washing machines, dishwashers, fridges and dryers that cost nothing. Here they are, with a way to estimate what they are worth to you.
Wash cooler, wash fuller
SEAI says to wash clothes at 30°C unless they are heavily soiled, and to run washing machines and dishwashers only when they are full. The reason is that most of the energy used by these appliances goes into heating water, so a lower temperature setting is the most direct saving. Check your machine’s eco programme, which is often the lowest-energy cycle for normal loads.
Fridge and freezer settings
Keep the fridge at 2-3°C and the freezer at -15°C. SEAI also advises:
- Don’t leave the fridge door open for long: every 10-20 seconds open can take about 45 minutes to recool.
- Let hot food cool before putting it in the fridge or freezer.
- Defrost the freezer at least every 6 months.
Drying clothes
Dry clothes on a clothes horse or a line on warm, dry days. When you do use a tumble dryer, separate heavy and light loads so that quick-drying items aren’t over-dried. If you dry indoors, ventilate the room to avoid damp, which matters most in well-sealed homes.
Standby and switching off
SEAI suggests switching off appliances at night and when you are out, and using a power strip so you can switch off several devices at once. Boilers are different: have yours serviced once a year.
Pick the right time of day
SEAI’s page suggests avoiding peak times for washing machines and dishwashers, but the page gives two different peak windows (4-7 PM in the introduction and 7-9 AM and 5-7 PM in the appliance section). So check your own supplier’s tariff for the real cheap and expensive hours, and read our guide to night-rate electricity before shifting your routine.
Work out what your changes are worth
SEAI does not put a euro figure on these tips, so measure your own. A simple method:
- Find the kWh used by one cycle on a plug-in energy meter, or note your smart-meter reading before and after.
- Multiply by your unit rate in cents per kWh from your bill.
- Multiply by the number of cycles a month.
Our seven-day appliance energy audit shows how to measure each item in your home, and how to reduce your electricity bill puts these tips alongside bigger changes.
Before you change anything
Pick three changes, such as washing at 30°C, checking your fridge thermometer and defrosting the freezer, and track your bill for two months. This article is general information, not personal financial advice, and SEAI’s guidance is general rather than specific to your appliances.