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A sharp rise in the cost of living is hitting households across the UK. With inflation reaching 9% in April 2022, families with two children face costs 13% higher than in April last year, reports Loughborough University. A large proportion of this increase is fueled by the surge in energy prices ‘the wholesale price of gas in January 2022 was almost four times higher than in early 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Faced with the rising cost of energy, it’s not surprising many of us are actively looking at ways of making our homes more efficient. From upgrading the insulation in our lofts, our windows and doors to maybe even our central heating system and controls. Yet if you live in a hard water area you could also make real savings by investing in a water softener.
YES! I WANT TO START SAVING MONEY NOW
Limescale isn’t your friend when trying to save money. Its reputation for leaving scale deposits that are hard to remove is well documented, what isn’t so well documented is how this simple switch can help you get more from your household budget and save ‘real money’ both now and in the future.
Below we look at three of the most popular areas in the home to see the type of savings that can be made.
Save on the energy you use to heat your home
Central heating systems, washing machines, dishwashers and even electric showers all work more efficiently when free from limescale. The more efficient your home appliances the less energy they will waste and the more money you are likely to save.
Using calculations based on data from a US Department of Energy report*, it was found that just a 1.5mm coating of limescale on a heating system can reduce its efficiency by an average of 11 percent. That’s 11p for every £1 you spend. Taking action now will help limit unnecessary higher bills in the future. With a gas bill for a 3-bed house likely to rise to £2000 this year, according to British Gas, that’s a saving worth looking forward to.
Other ways to save; elect to put on an extra layer during the cooler parts of the day, wherever possible cook and eat as a family and take short showers rather than running a bath.
Save money on wash day
When rising prices are putting the squeeze on your shopping budget, it can be tempting to switch from the brands you trust. But washing your clothes in softened water can help reduce the amount you need to spend on your favourite brands by up to 50% as clothes and towels tend to lather and rinse more easily in softened water.
Modern detergents not only perform better in softened water but at lower temperatures too. ‘Washing clothes at 30 degrees rather than higher temperatures will save around 40% of the energy used each year,’ says the Energy Saving Trust**
Whilst beautifully rinsed clothes require less conditioners, switching off your tumble dryer and air drying can save up to £172.76 annually (price data calculated from Millie Hurst article for Idealhome.co.uk in April 2022 and using energy costs obtained from the EST).
Thinking to the future, when the time to replace those all-important goods comes around check out the range of energy-efficient appliances. The latest A+++ washing machine will cost you less than half that of an old D rated machine to run on average saving you over £71.12 every year according to calculations on thisismoney.co.uk/nimblefins.co.uk. Don’t forget, a water softener will help to keep your new appliance scale free and working efficiently for longer.
Save in your bathroom
Whether your bathroom is a hive of activity with kids splashing like mad or a tranquil place to unwind at the end of the day, it is also likely to be an area where real savings can be made.
Recent research and analysis from Trolley.co.uk in April 2022 show how soaring inflation has driven up cost of everyday items from bread to shampoo on average by 7% in just 12 months. The research showed a bottle of ordinary shampoo has already risen to £3.80 a bottle.
Luckily adopting Luxury Water can help mitigate these price increases and allow you to stay loyal to brands you trust. Soaps, conditioners, bubble bath and shampoo all lather better in softened water and with no limescale or scum to hinder the formation of suds you can simply use less, in some cases up to 50% less. In practical terms that could mean halving the number of bottles you buy each year. Not only saving you money but allowing you to stick with the products you like to use.
Don’t forget no limescale means another saving in specialist cleaning products. Mumsnet in their March 2022 article on the ‘best limescale removers’ highlighted prices as high as £10.80 for one of the more popular brands. In these tough times we think it’s a saving worth having.
Whilst Luxury water isn’t the answer on its own, softened water can make a real difference. Over time the savings start to add up, to the point where combined with making small changes in our everyday routine the pennies saved soon become pounds.
*US Department of Energy Report 2013 – page 2.14 – Calculation based on data from University Bulletin No. 74, as presented in the ASHRAE 2011 HVAC Applications Handbook (ASHRAE 2011b).
**EST- homeenergyscotland.org