Summer is finally here, but the warmer and lighter days don’t necessarily mean cheaper energy bills - even with the new lower price cap which came into force on July 1. Energy-saving smart meter app Loop has looked at the worst culprits that could be adding to energy bills during the summer months, with some households forking out as much as £380 extra per month from July onwards.
The new energy price cap set by Ofgem came into effect on July 1 and the average household should expect their bill to drop to £2,074 - 17% less than previous prices. But it’s important to remember that the price cap is a cap on the unit price and not on your total energy bill. So, if you want to spend less, you need to use less - even during the summer months when household bills are typically at their lowest.
Comparing a number of popular summer appliances, including tower fans, air conditioning units, beer pump dispensers, and hot tubs, Loop has calculated how much they could be costing you. It calculated that a family of four each using a 35W fan in their bedroom at night could be adding almost £3 per month to their energy bill and £70 more if using an air-conditioning unit. Plugging in an extra fridge to keep drinks cool over the three months from July to September can also add more than £30 to bills.
With temperatures set to rise even further over the coming weeks, Loop is urging billpayers to monitor their energy use when using devices around their homes this summer. While costs can seem low if just used for an hour, they can easily add up if multiple devices are being used over long periods of time.
Breakdown of costs to run popular summer appliances from July 1:
| |
Per day (8hrs) | Per month (avg 30 days) |
| 35W Tower Fan | £0.08 | £2.40 |
| 70W Beer Pump Dispenser | £0.17 | £5.10 |
| 145W Drinks Fridge | £0.35 | £10.50 |
| 1000W Air Conditioner | £2.40 | £72.00 |
| 2000W Garden Heater | £4.80 | £144.00 |
| 2000W Garden Heater | £4.92 | £147.60 |
Dr Steve Buckley, head of data science at Loop, said: "While the new energy price cap is great news for consumers, it’s still important to keep a close eye on your energy usage. A warm spring in the UK has meant cooling devices have potentially been plugged in for hours at a time already. Now is a great time to reset your habits to better control your energy usage, especially as the summer heat really starts to kick in.
“At first glance, these costs may not seem that high on an hourly basis, but they can easily add up if you’ve got a few devices running or if you forget to switch them off. Monitoring your energy usage by using a free energy-saving smart meter app like Loop is key to making savings.”
For those looking to make the most of the long, bright summer evenings by spending them outside, Loop recommends keeping a check on energy usage if using a patio heater. Loop calculations show it could add around £72 to your monthly energy bills if used for four hours a day – and even more if you forget to switch it off.
