Fuel prices and running your Aga range cooker winter 2021 into Spring

I wonder if some of you are entering this winter with a sense of trepidation about fuel prices?

There are habits, and tasks that you can adopt and do to reduce your Aga range cooker running costs and still enjoy your cooker at the heart of your home this season.

How to save money running your Aga range cooker high gas prices and running an Aga range cooker

The fuel price cap is due for a 2nd stage review in April 2022, which is likely to raise duel fuel customers, who have a typical domestic use from around £1270 a year to £1600. { source The Energy Shop & BBC NEWS }

The Green Gas Levy adds further complexity to the mains gas topic, some cost may inevitably be passed onto the end consumer. Maybe another great reason to switch to a more controllable electric system?

We have just instigated our next BIG SURVEY, and we hope to be able to share with you new running cost data very soon! Please join the repondants and get a £5 Blake & Bull voucher for your efforts!

There are many factors that impact running costs, and costs vary from model to model too!

It is hard to accurately predict running costs for an end user. As it depends on model size, habits and usage, thermal properties of home, method of venting, quality and age of build, and tariffs of course!

Here are some things that you can best regulate your running costs into 2022.

Start by looking at your habits. Do you use your range efficiently? Follow the 80/20 rule! { sign up to our mailing list to have exclusive access to our ‘12 ways to save’! }
If you have an Aga range cooker with independent hotplates { Electrikit / TC / etc} reduce your use to one hotplate if that is all the recipe needs. Turn them off when not using, or overnight if not drying laundry of course! Use the hotplate above the cast ovens first! It will have stored residual heat from the ovens, a little quicker to warm up!
Use an A + + rated electric kettle when you are busy / getting ready for work - switch to a traditional hob kettle when you really want to enjoy your range brunch days, lazy days, family days!
Switch to a zonal system, so you can adjust your temperatures and zones of the cooker as and when you need. Book us in for 2022!
We recommend looking at your insulation, seals, and overall repair of your range. Tackling the insulation now will reap rewards over the season! You can do this yourself with our advice and kits, or invite us to come and do it for you! You can have a cuppa whilst we work.
If you suspect that your flue is over drawing, then get it checked out! Adjusting the cowl on your flue, in some cases, can stop the ‘pull’, meaning that you do not lose so much hot air! This is more for traditional flue older Aga range cookers. Of course when you convert your Aga range cooker, you do not lose so much heat into the room or up the flue.
Does your Aga range cooker run a boiler? Is this necessary for your home? Can you produce water more efficiently? { further information here & here }. A boiler, strapped to your barrel makes your range work much harder to maintain temperature! If this means using your back up immersion instead, put that on a timer and use a night cheap tariff. Something like OCTOPUS GO { do your research! } is only 5p Kwh in the wee hours! Time your washing machine, dishwasher to come on then too.
Use timers - timers are a great solution for some electric systems IF you have big gaps of time between use. A home where everyone is out from 08:00am for school and work { now that we are back in the office! } and not back until 5/6pm may benefit from a timer that turns the ovens on and off. If your use is consistent throughout the day then you may be better off letting the ovens regulate at a set temperature.
Use a drying rack on your Aga instead of running a tumble dryer! Plan ahead with your laundry and dry overnight. As opposed to having a laundry day, and working the tumble dryer hard!
If you have not had a professional service for a while, book in a recommended, trusted and certified engineer to check your flow rate, burner, etc! Do this well in advance, the good ones get booked up!
Leftovers and batch cooking, give yourself and your range a break! Cook a little extra that can just be warmed through for a shorter time, using less fuel than cooking a different meal every day. Better for the environment too!
Find out how much your Aga range cooker really costs to run - do a 24 or even better 48 hour test. choose a day or two to turn your range cooker off. First take a meter reading. Then immediately turn it off. restrain from using and relighting! Keep all other home habits the same, for a set period of time, I suggest 48 hours as your range will cost more in the first day of relighting, so two days is a better measure. Take a metre reading. Then turn the cooker back on, run for the same period, keeping all other habits the same in the home. and then take another reading. work out your 'ON' & 'OFF' averages. Let us know! { more accurate with electric as Aga is thermostatic in most cases and regulates heat better, warms up quicker}