How to turn off or reduce using gas guzzling appliance in your home and save money on energy bills

USING your tumble dryer more efficiently or avoiding using it could save you over £50 a year on your energy bills, according to a top expert.

With energy bills soaring, many of us are trying to use the central heating more sparingly this winter.

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But attempting to dry laundry indoors without the radiators blasting all day is no mean feat – not least because many properties can suffer from cold and damp. 

For those who hang reams of wet clothes around their rooms, there’s a risk the increased condensation could lead to issues including mould.

All of this may bring you back to the fact a tumble dryer is the fastest way to dry your laundry. 

The problem is, this can be one of the most gas-guzzling appliances in your home.

According to price comparison site, Uswitch.com, a standard model that uses 2.5kWh of energy costs a whopping 62p per cycle.

Families who do several loads of washing a week could easily spend more than £100 a year tumble drying their clothes – and potentially a lot more.

But rather than ditch your dryer altogether, especially if you have an A-rated appliance, one expert has come up with some simple ways to keep costs down. 

Elise Melville, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “One of the best ways to cut energy costs is by being more economical when it comes to use of white goods such as tumble dryers – and also washing machines.

There are good habits that you can adopt which can save you a significant sum of money over the course of the year.”

Here we take a closer look.

1) Run full loads

Findings from Uswitch.com show that half of households run their tumble dryer when it is not full, potentially adding an extra £16.15 to yearly bills.

Those who run their washing machine when it’s not full could add almost £7.

Elise said: “Get into the habit of only using the tumble dryer with a full load. It could soon become second nature.”

The same applies when using your washing machine.

This helps reduce the number of cycles – enabling you to save both water and money.

Just take care never to overload the machine as it could damage it.

2) Opt for a cold wash

With a washing machine, most of the cost comes down to heating the water, according to Elise.

She said: “Using a lower setting will still give clothes a thorough clean, and can save you money.”

Helpfully, modern detergents are designed to work at lower temperatures.

“This means that washing items at 30C – or in water that is even colder – is perfectly fine,” said the energy whizz.

“You should only need warmer water for badly-stained items or underwear.”

According to Uswitch, more than two-thirds of households set their washing machine at more than 40C. 

This, it adds, could cost someone £17 a year more compared to washing laundry at 30C. 

3) Get cleaning

It might not be top of your ‘to-do’ list, but clearing your tumble dryer filter and outside vents is a job that needs doing regularly.

It’s vital to do this for both efficiency and safety.

Elise said: “A blocked filter can force your tumble dryer to work harder and longer, using more energy, and potentially creating a fire hazard.

“Cleaning out the filters is a simple task that can significantly improve your appliance’s performance.”

While you’re at it, remember to clean your washing machine filter, too.

3) Add a towel

Try adding a dry towel in with your wet load when you put it into your tumble dryer, as this can speed up the time it takes clothes to dry.

You can use any old towel for this hack. 

Alternatively, you could try ‘tumble dryer balls’ to help keep a lid on the cost of using your appliance. These little gizmos allow air to circulate around the laundry, helping items dry faster.

Aldi is selling a three-pack for £2.99. 

4) Try a heated clothes airer

Opting for a heated airer is an efficient way to dry clothes during the winter. 

Elise said: “For a standard tumble dryer using 2.5kWh of energy, you could pay around 62p per cycle.

“By contrast, if you swap this for a 300-watt heated airer, it would cost you 37p to use it for five hours under the current energy price cap.”

Dunelm recently cut the price of one of its heated airers to £40, down from £80.

Take care to spread your clothes out, as overlapping will mean they take longer to dry – and increase the risk of a damp smell setting in.

For even better results,  drape a dry bedsheet over the top.

Also think carefully about where to locate your airer.

The energy aficionado added: “By drying your clothes in a heated room – rather than an unheated space like a garage – you can take advantage of ambient warmth to speed up the drying process.”

Other ways to save money drying your clothes

There are plenty of other gadgets which can help dry your clothes quicker this winter.

For example, heated airers can be a cost-effective tool that costs a few pennies to run.

Heated airers can save money on your energy bill as it offers a cheaper alternative to drying your clothes on the radiator.

This method can become costly as it requires you to turn on the central heating.

Heated clothes airers are like traditional ones, but you plug them in, with the bars of the dryer heating up.

You can buy covers for some as well, which speeds up the time it takes to dry your clothes.

Aldi recently brought back its popular heated airer which costs just 9p to run.

It was part of its Special Buy range meaning once stock has been cleared it will not be coming back.

The discounter is selling the heated airer for £79.99 and has also launched a smaller version for £34.99.

You can find a similar version on Amazon or Dunelm if you can’t find one at Aldi.

Another hack for keeping your clothes dry is using a dehumidifier.

These devices can help remove dampness from your home and can prevent the growth of mould.

They can also be great for helping clothes dry quicker when placed near your airer.

This is because it can help suck the moisture of your clothes helping them dry at a faster pace.