As fuel prices rise, householders have been advised to replace older, more inefficient cold appliances.
Customers worried about rising energy bills should look to replace their fridge-freezers and reduce household costs, the Energy Saving Trust (EST) said today.
According to figures from the firm, which advises householders on how to boost their energy efficiency, a new cold appliance could save around £34 per year. Moreover, around £1 billion is thought to be wasted annually on customers leaving other appliances such as tumble driers and washing machines on standby rather than switching them off entirely.
The EST's recommendations come as rising wholesale prices spark a new round of price rises among Britain's energy firms. EDF became the first of the big six providers to hike bills last weekend, imposing 17 percent and 22 percent increases on electricity and gas respectively.
Other firms are expected to follow this lead over weeks to come, bringing annual fuel costs to well over £1,000 for most families.
Caroline Rams at the Energy Saving Trust commentedd: "Replacing an old, energy inefficient fridge-freezer with a new energy saving recommended one could save you up to £34 every year. If we all made the change to more efficient cold appliances this week, together we'd save around £700 million every year."
She added: "Look out for the Energy Saving Recommended logo when you're buying new electrical appliances. The logo appears on a growing range of products - from light bulbs to laundry appliances, indicating the most energy efficient appliances which are also cheaper to run."
In the UK, around £1.3 billion a year is spent on washing machines, tumble driers and dishwashes; a further £1.5 billion is spent on fridges and freezers.
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