Energy Efficient Appliances

Most household appliances appear very comparable on the face of it but they can vary significantly when it comes to energy efficiency and as a result operating expenditure.

In this article you will learn all you need to know about energy conserving household appliances. Discover what energy electricity saving appliances are, what makes them different, the advantages of choosing them and whether they are right for you and your home. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact Pride Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Home Appliance?

Basically energy efficiency is making use of reduced energy to give the same results. For example, replacing a traditional bulb with a more efficient fluorescent bulb that produces the same level of light or insulating your home so you need less heating.

Energy efficiency is related to but not the same as energy conservation which requires employing less energy by requiring a different result. For example, choosing to walk when you might normally have used the car or just running the washing machine when you have a full load.

Energy efficient devices are engineered to provide the same outcomes with lower energy requirements allowing you to save energy. Reduced power usage result in lower electricity bills and less use of fossil fuels.

Many household appliances for sale in the United States are ENERGY STAR marked, meaning they offer better energy efficiency compared to lower efficiency models, typically ranging from 10-50%. Most appliances will also have EnergyGuide labels which display how economical they are compared to other similar appliances.

These ratings can be a good first point of call when figuring out if an appliance is electricity saving or not.

Types of Electricity Saving Appliances

Some examples of electricity saving devices include:

Fridge-Freezers
Air Conditioners
Boilers
Washers
Dishwashers

How Low Energy Household Appliances work

Energy efficient appliances work by taking advantage of the best current technology to ensure they use as little electric as they can. That might be better insulation in freezers, filters in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in dryers to minimize drying time.

Benefits of Energy Efficient Goods

Using energy conserving household appliances makes sense for many reasons:

Saving energy. The more energy-efficient a device is the less energy it requires to complete its purpose. Meaning you can experience a sizable saving in energy without having to change your habits.
Reducing cost. Although lower energy household appliances are likely to have a bigger initial cost they will inevitably save you money in the long run by cutting your utility bills.
Environmental advantages. Most of the electricity we use in our homes comes from oil and gas and results in the emission of greenhouse gases. Reducing our abuse of fossil fuels also preserves them for future use in a more sustainable way.
Resource Security. With resource costs constantly increasing and natural resources continually being used up choosing less energy intensive household appliances will allow our demands to be met for longer.

Do Low Energy Household Appliances Genuinely Save Money?

Electricity saving household appliances save you money by reducing your power usage and by association your utility bills.

The amount you save and whether or not you notice a big fall in your annual bills will depend on the relative efficiency of the previous and future appliances, the degree of use and how long the product lasts.

The older the appliance you are replacing is the more significant the difference you are likely to see. Likewise the more energy the device requires to run the greater the likely savings. I.e replacing an broken, wasteful, overcapacity air conditioning unit with a replacement ENERGY STAR accredited one that is the perfect size for your home, will make a noticeable impact whereas upgrading your dishwasher with one that is merely 10% less energy intensive will have a significantly less noticeable impact.

Research suggests that if your fridge was built over 20 years ago you could gain up to $270 in five years, however if it was built in the last 10 years the money you save will be much lower.

You also have to make sure you use your household appliances efficiency functions to get the most significant savings. For example, setting your dryer for a fixed time negates its ability to sense when your clothes are nearly dry.

When contrasting new devices factoring in both the upfront price and the usage costs will make sure you make the prime decision for you.

How Low Energy Household Appliances Help the Environment

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

The things we do have massive impacts on the planet, one of the most obvious of which is the release of greenhouse gasses into the air through the consumption of non-renewable resources that can be linked to air pollution and global warming.

As we become more aware of the environmental cost of our daily actions the market is responding with less wasteful solutions to our needs. Whether that is electric cars or in this case low energy refrigerators.

What are ENERGY STAR certified Appliances?

The ENERGY STAR symbol was formed in 1992 to allow for an quickly recognizable way for consumers to choose more eco-friendly devices.

Certified products must meet both power consumption and consumer requirements in regards to quality and attributes.

The qualifications for the ENERGY STAR rating vary between different appliances. In order to be awarded the star mark, household appliances are required to be at least a certain percentage more efficient than the base product in their category.

This means, not all ENERGY STAR certified appliances are equal in terms of efficiency. I.e a fridge that is 15% more efficient and one that is 18% more efficient would get the symbol. So although making sure you see the symbol is a good starting point, it is still worth finding out the actual energy savings before picking the best one for you.

Is an Electricity Saving Appliance Right for Your Home?

Low energy devices really do make a impact on an individual and national level, reducing your bills and better use of energy and resources.

Next time you are in the market for a new device have a look at the EnergyGuide label. It shows the cost of electricity an appliance needs and makes it easier to decide between makes and designs.

You may also want to know how much you spend on your energy so you can make accurate comparisons.

Size matters when it comes to appliances. For example:

Running one big fridge is more efficient than running two smaller ones. Unless you only turn on the extra one occasionally
When choosing a new washing machine consider the load size as running a smaller machine multiple times uses more energy than turning on a higher capacity machine for a single run.
Even the most efficient boiler will be unable to reduce your bills if it’s four times the capacity you need for your home.

Devices get less efficient as they get older so replace over 10 years old first and if you have the funds available, focus on the items that use the most energy.