Energy Efficient Appliances

The majority of appliances look very comparable on the face of it but they can vary significantly when it comes to energy saving and therefore running costs.

In this article you can find out all you need to know about electricity saving household appliances. Discover what energy electricity saving appliances are, what makes them different, the benefits of using them and when you should make the change. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact Esteem Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Home Appliance?

Put simply energy efficiency is making use of reduced energy to provide the same function. This could mean, replacing an incandescent bulb with a more efficient LED bulb that produces the same level of light or insulating your walls so you need to turn the heating on less often.

Energy efficiency is related to but different from energy conservation which requires making use of less energy by adjusting behaviours or habits. For example, opting to take the bus when you might normally have used the car or just putting on the washing machine when you have a full load.

Low energy devices are created to give the same outcomes in a more efficient way allowing you to save energy. Reduced electricity requirements result in lower energy bills and less use of fossil fuels.

Many devices for sale in the USA are ENERGY STAR marked, meaning they offer use less power than lower efficiency models, typically ranging from 10-50%. Most household appliances will also have EnergyGuide labels which demonstrate how efficient they are in comparison to other comparable appliances.

These ratings can be a great starting point when deciding if a device is electricity efficient or not.

Types of Electricity Efficient Devices

Some different types of low energy household appliances include:

Refrigerators
Air Purifiers
Water Heaters
Washers
Dishwashers

How Electricity Efficient Household Appliances work

Electricity saving household appliances work by taking advantage of the best current technology to make sure they use as little power as they can. That might mean more advanced insulation in fridges, dirt sensors in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in tumble dryers to minimize drying time.

Advantages of Electricity Efficient Appliances

Using electricity saving appliances makes sense for multiple reasons:

Reducing energy. The more efficient a device is the less energy it uses . Meaning you can see a sizable reduction in energy consumption without having to change your habits.
Reducing cost. Although lower energy devices are likely to have a more expensive ticket price they will inevitably save you money in the long run by cutting your utility bills.
Environmental advantages. Most of the energy we need for our daily lives comes from fossil fuels and results in Carbon Dioxide and other gases being released into the atmosphere. Lessening our use of natural resources also preserves them for future generations.
Energy Security. With resource costs consistently rising and natural resources continually depleting choosing less energy intensive devices will allow our demands to be met for longer.

Do Energy Efficient Household Appliances Actually Cost Less?

Energy conserving devices save you money by reducing your power consumption and in turn your utility bills.

How much you save and whether or not you enjoy a substantial fall in your monthly bills will depend on the relative efficiency of the previous and new devices, the degree of use and how long the product lasts.

The older the appliance you are changing is the more significant the difference you are likely to see. In the same way the more energy the appliance uses to run the bigger the potential savings. For example substituting an worn out, wasteful, too big air conditioning unit with a replacement ENERGY STAR accredited one that is the correct size for your home, could make a marked impact whereas upgrading your fridge with one that is only 10% less energy intensive is likely to have a significantly less noticeable impact.

Studies suggest that if your fridge was produced last century you could gain up to $270 in five years, however if it was produced in within the last decade the money you save will be much lower.

You also have to make sure you make use of your household appliances energy-efficient functions to get the best savings. For example, manual defrost is more energy-efficient than auto defrost, but only if you remember to keep defrosting.

When contrasting new appliances factoring in both the purchase price and the usage costs will help you make the top choice for you.

How Electricity Saving Devices Help the Planet

Energy efficiency isn’t all about saving you money. Reducing energy consumption also has an environmental impact.

Our actions have irreversible impacts on the planet, one of the most obvious of which is the release of greenhouse gasses into the air through the consumption of fossil fuels that have been linked to air pollution and climate change.

As we become more aware of the environmental effect of our daily decisions the market is responding with more environmentally friendly solutions to our requirements. Whether that is cheaper solar panels or in this case low energy dehumidifiers.

What are ENERGY STAR rated Appliances?

The ENERGY STAR symbol was formed in 1992 to provide an easily recognizable way for buyers to choose more eco-friendly appliances.

Rated products must meet both energy efficiency and consumer needs in regards to performance and features.

The qualifications for the ENERGY STAR certification change according to the device being tested. In order to be awarded the rating, devices are required to be a minimum percentage less energy intensive than the standard design in their class.

This means, not all ENERGY STAR marked products are equal when it comes to energy efficiency. I.e a washing machine that uses 10% less energy and one that uses 22% less energy would get the certification. Therefore although only looking at products with the star is a simple first step, it is still worth finding out the actual energy savings before picking the best one for you.

Is an Electricity Efficient Appliance Right for You?

Energy efficient household appliances really do make a impression at a local and global level, saving you money over time and better use of energy and resources.

When you are shopping for a new device check the EnergyGuide label. This label indicates the amount of energy an appliance uses and makes it simpler to decide between makes and designs.

You may also want to make a note of how much your electricity costs you so you can make more personalized comparisons.

Size makes a difference when it comes to appliances. For example:

Running one large fridge requires less energy than having two small ones. Unless you only turn on the extra one at certain times of the year
When choosing a replacement washing machine think about the amount of washing you tend to do as running a smaller machine multiple times uses more energy than turning on a higher capacity machine once.
Even the most efficient boiler will never reduce your bills if it’s four times the spec you should be using for your home.

Devices reduce in efficiency as they age so replace items that are past their best first and if you are able to, focus on the ones that use the most energy.