Martin Lewis is urging people to avoid using this if possible
Martin Lewis (Image: ITV)
Finance expert Martin Lewis has warned about a ‘demon appliance’ that is the biggest energy guzzler in the home and should be avoided at all costs.
During a previous episode of his BBC Radio 5 podcast, Mr Lewis was offering advice amid skyrocketing energy bills. Mr Lewis highlighted a key appliance to use as sparingly as possible, given its cost per use. He said: “Do you know what the real ‘demon appliance’ is in most people’s houses – the one that you don’t want to use because it’s really expensive?
“Tumble dryers. You’re typically paying up to a quid per load so dry your clothes on an airer outside, to shorten the amount of time you’re using your tumble dryer, or avoid using it completely. Those who have dehumidifiers can take some of the moisture out of the air. It’s less wattage than a tumble dryer, so it can be more cost-effective.”
One live listener, Rob, had noticed that his flat had become damp since he started drying his washing indoors. He asked: “If I were to buy a dehumidifier, would it be cheaper than using the heating to keep the place dry?”
Martin replied: “Dehumidifiers take water out of the air rather than use the heating and they’re much lower wattage appliances than standard heating. So if the dehumidifier works for you, it will definitely have lower electricity bills.”
One problem is radiators heating spaces which do little to increase the temperature before the warmth escapes outdoors rapidly. Speaking previously on his BBC Podcast, Mr Lewis suggested that households should think about installing reflective panels behind radiators – to direct the heat back into the room instead of through the wall to the outside, as reported by the Mirror.
He explained: “A tip for you reflective panels behind radiators. Sheets of reflective material can be placed behind radiators. Crucially, this is on external wall radiators, so the heat doesn’t escape. If you don’t want to pay for those, then tin foil can work, although it doesn’t work quite as well.”
He added: “If you’ve got radiators in rooms that you’re not using, go and turn them off before you turn the heating on so you’re not wasting cash overheating empty spaces. Changing the flow rate on your boiler can cut gas bill by over 9% and you won’t notice the change.”
