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People trying to stay cool at home during the May heatwave may want to do some quick checks. The UK experienced its hottest ever weather for the month of May in the on-going hot spell.
You may have retreated indoors to escape the blazing sun, but experts have warned you could unknowingly be racking up a hefty bill during the hot weather. Angus Struthers, managing director at home heating and cooling company BOXT, said there is a common misconception here.
He said: “Do not assume summer automatically means cheaper bills. You may use less heating, but hot weather can push electricity use up, especially if fans or air conditioning are running for hours.”
The energy expert said the extra costs of staying cool can soon add up. Research from BOXT found a typical portable air conditioner using 1kWh to 1.3kWh could cost around 25p to 32p an hour to run.
If you ran this device for three hours a day, that could add up to around £22 to £29 a month in energy bills. If you had a larger 3.5kW unit keeping you cool, that could cost you almost £78 a month if you used it for the same period.
Simple check
Mr Struthers said: “The simple rule is: check the wattage before you run cooling devices for long periods. Use timers, avoid cooling empty rooms, keep windows and doors closed when air conditioning is on, and clean filters regularly so the unit is not working harder than it needs to.”
The energy expert said it’s worth thinking about these extra costs now ahead of any hot spells over the summer. He said: “Air conditioning has become almost essential to keeping cool and comfortable in the summer months in the UK as of late, especially with the forecast of the return of El Niño this summer, which saw the UK hit 40 degrees for the first time back in 2022.”
El Niño is a phenomenon where water temperatures increase in the Pacific Ocean. This can lead to a wave of unusual weather conditions including high temperatures across different parts of the globe.
