It’s no secret that the cost of living in the UK has skyrocketed. From food to cleaning products, prices of everyday items have soared in recent years, leaving more households and businesses struggling to pay their bills. At times, it might feel like you’re facing an uphill battle without many solutions, but you’re not alone. As prices increase, so too do the number of clever ways to lower your costs, and our team at Mega Cleaning are happy to join in the conversation.

We know that cleaning consciously can help you save money while living more sustainably, and we want to make that easier for everyone. So, we’ve compiled some insights on how to utilise off-peak energy hours to lower your electricity bills and reduce your carbon footprint, setting you on a path towards cost-effective cleaning.

What Are Peak and Off-Peak Electricity Hours?

Throughout the day, the UK’s national energy grid fluctuates between peak and off-peak electricity. Peak energy hours happen when there’s more demand for electricity, such as in the evening when plenty of people switch on their ovens and hobs to cook dinner. Off-peak hours are those when national energy usage is lower, such as very early in the morning, when fewer people are awake.

Some UK energy suppliers offer varying prices depending on peak and off-peak electricity hours. When there’s more energy to go around, they offer lower prices to encourage more households and businesses to carry out high-energy tasks (like hoovering and running the washing machine).

Why Does Off-Peak Energy Cost Less?

During peak hours, there’s more pressure on electricity providers to meet demand quickly. That can mean using more expensive or less sustainable energy sources to keep up. By encouraging people to use electricity during quieter times, the national grid can smooth out these spikes in demand, making the overall system more efficient and stable.

This is especially important for the switch to renewable energy. Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy production can be inconsistent, with fluctuations depending on the weather and time of day. Off-peak usage helps suppliers manage these highs and lows by encouraging you to take advantage of times when they have surplus electricity. Not only does this reduce their need to store excess energy, but it also reduces the number of people switching on their dishwashers or getting out the iron during peak hours.

Use Off-Peak Hours to Lower Your Cleaning Costs

Whether you’re managing a busy household or running a business, understanding when electricity is cheaper allows you to plan more cost-efficient routines, if you’re on a tariff that offers off-peak prices. If you’re able to, cleaning at times when energy prices are lower can help you save a lot of money on energy-intensive tasks.

During peak times, hold off on doing the jobs that can wait, like powering up floor scrubbers or loading the dishwasher after a big clean. Alongside savings, this also helps you create a more eco-friendly cleaning routine by easing the strain on the grid so that suppliers can use more renewable energy and fewer fossil fuels.

How to Take Advantage of Off-Peak Energy Hours

It’s clear that off-peak energy cleaning is the way forward, but how can you tap into these cost-saving periods?

To start with, you need to make sure you’re with a supplier that offers lower prices during off-peak times. You’ll also need to check that you or your property are eligible for the offer or tariff, as even suppliers offering energy-saving incentives may not be able to apply them to all customer accounts.

Ensure that you opt in for all available energy-saving schemes, too. Some suppliers, for instance, offer the chance to earn points or save money by reducing your usage during peak periods, which is another great way to help the planet and lower your bills.

To enable your supplier to track when you use energy, your home or business may need to get a smart meter. This is a digital meter that sends automatic readings to your electricity provider. If you’re signed up to a relevant tariff or scheme, your supplier can use these readings to understand when you’re using energy and charge different rates for energy used at certain times.

Final Thoughts

While the cost of living has gone up, there are ways you can lower your bills without compromising on your cleaning. Tapping into off-peak hours is a great start. By aligning your cleaning with times when prices are lower, you could see significant savings on your next energy bill. It’s also a must if you want to embrace a more sustainable, mindful approach to cleaning and help our country move towards a future of green energy.

Looking for more cleaning advice? Check out the Mega Cleaning blog or get in touch with our team of professional cleaners.