During high-use energy periods in the winter, meaning in the early morning hours when people click their heaters on to warm their houses, electricity costs more. So, you save a bundle by washing and drying clothes on winter evenings, when electricity usage is at a low level and rates are much lower.
According to the Daily Record, the most expensive time to use your washing machine or tumble dryer is between 4pm and 7pm. Energy prices are at their lowest between 10pm and 5am, but make sure you never leave it on over night as this could be a fire risk.
It's cheaper at night, when demand for power is at its lowest. This quieter period is called the off-peak hours, which usually falls between 10pm and 8am. Conversely, peak hours are during the daytime, when more people are using electricity and demand is higher. Not all energy suppliers follow time-of-use tariffs.
Prices are higher during times of day when demand for electricity is generally higher and the cost is greater, called peak times. Monday through Friday 4 to 9 p.m. are the only hours that are higher-priced (peak). All other times are lower-priced (off-peak).
Putting your washing in during the evening and setting the machine to run into the early hours of the morning could greatly reduce your electricity costs, as energy prices are lowest between 10pm and 5am.
You could potentially save a few pennies per laundry load if you wash them in the morning, during the day (if you work from home), or later than 7pm in the evening. Energy Saving Trust agrees, writing in a 2020 article that – again depending on your tariff – it could be cheaper to use appliances at off-peak.
The most expensive time to wash your clothes is between 4pm and 7pm. You could save cash if you're on an Economy 7 or off-peak tariff by putting your load on during less busy times of the day. Martin Lewis said, for those on eco tariffs, the cheapest rates are usually available between 11pm and 8am.
The colder the cycle the better
For even further savings, use the eco setting on your washing machine, if it has one. When it comes to drying your laundry, it is also more efficient if you run a cooler cycle, even if this means it will take longer to dry.
Evening & Weekend offers cheaper off-peak electricity in the evening and at weekends. This means energy you use during the day costs more than our standard rate, so it's great for people who are out during the day on weekdays.
"The eco wash, as you'd expect is the cheapest to run, using 0.23kw of power, costing less than seven p" he said. In second place, a 40C synthetic wash was found to cost seven pence more for each use: "A 40C synthetic wash used 0.9kw, so that cost significantly more at 25p."
The timings tend to be at night, roughly between 10pm and 8am, but they differ between suppliers and tariffs. On the other hand, peak electricity times are when power demand is at its highest and, therefore, the charges increase.
Using Electrical Appliances At Night
Equally, using your appliances such as your dishwasher, washing machine and other high-energy usage appliances at night on an Economy 7 or Economy 10 tariff will also save you an estimated 50% on your energy bills, assuming you commit to using them during off-peak hours.
The most expensive time for you to wash or dry your clothes is between 4pm and 7pm , so try to avoid using your machines between these hours.
Use electricity when price is lower
It doesn't matter what time of year it is. For example, it's cheaper for time-of-use customers to run their washer and dryer during the day on a weekend versus a weekday.
Australian Capital Territory Electricity Time Of Use Periods
All times referred to are in Australian Eastern Daylight Time. Peak = 7am-5pm weekdays, Off-Peak = 10pm-7am and all weekend, Shoulder = 5pm-10pm weekdays.
What are peak and off-peak times for electricity? A few energy providers charge less for using electricity at certain times of day (or night). These off-peak hours tend to be quieter periods when power demand is at its lowest, for example between 10pm and 8am.
You'll have a higher day rate, and a cheaper night rate, which applies for seven to nine hours between 8pm and 8am.
This phenomenon is commonly referred to as a “phantom load” or “vampire energy.” A phantom load is any electronic device or appliance that consumes electricity when turned off but still plugged into an outlet.
Power usage – Kettles
The average kettle is between 2 and 3 kilowatts (kw). The electricity that you use in your home is measures in kilowatt hours (kWh) which is the number of kilowatts used per hour. Most people will be charged per unit of electricity so you might be charged 12p per kwh used.
Wash Clothes In Cold Water
Wash your clothes in cold water instead of warm or hot. What is this? Your clothes will get just as clean, cold water is better on fabrics so your clothes will last longer, and you'll save money too.
It might sound counterintuitive, but eco mode cycles are often longer than their regular counterparts. This is because the bulk of energy used by the machine comes from heating the water – the electricity needed to turn the drum or power the sprayers is comparatively much less.