Energy Efficient Appliances

Many household appliances appear very similar on the face of it but they can vary dramatically when it comes to energy saving and therefore running expenditure.

Here you will find out all you need to know about energy conserving devices. Discover what energy electricity saving appliances are, how they operate, the advantages of making the switch and whether they are right for you and your home. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact Quality Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Home Appliance?

Put simply energy efficiency is using decreased energy to perform the same function. This could mean, replacing a standard light bulb with an energy efficient fluorescent bulb that produces the same brightness or insulating your home so you need less heating.

Energy efficiency is linked to but not the same as energy conservation which involves making use of less energy by adjusting behaviours or habits. Eg choosing to walk when you might normally have used the car or just putting on the washing machine when you have a full load.

Electricity efficient household appliances are engineered to offer the same outcomes in a more efficient way allowing you to save money. Reduced electricity requirements result in lower electricity bills and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

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

These simple labels can be a great first point of call when determining if an appliance is low energy or not.

Types of Energy Conserving Devices

Some examples of electricity saving devices include:

  • Refrigerators
  • Dehumidifiers
  • Water Heaters
  • Washing Machines
  • Tumble Dryers

How Energy Efficient Household Appliances work

Energy conserving appliances work by employing the most up to date technology to maximize efficiency. That might mean more advanced insulation in fridges, filters in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in dryers to reduce drying time.

Reasons to Choose Electricity Efficient Goods

Switching to low energy appliances makes sense for many reasons:

  1. Saving energy. The more economical a device is the less resources it uses . Meaning you can see a sizable saving in energy without losing any productivity.
  2. Reducing cost. Although more efficient appliances may have a bigger up-front cost they will usually save you money in the long run by cutting your electricity bills.
  3. Environmental benefits. Most of the energy we need for our homes comes from non-renewable resources and results in the emission of greenhouse gases. Reducing our wastefulness of natural resources also conserves them for future generations.
  4. Fuel Security. With fuel prices continually increasing and natural resources constantly depleting choosing more efficient household appliances will allow our demands to be met for longer.

Do Low Energy Appliances Actually Save Money?

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

How much you save and whether or not you enjoy a big fall in your annual bills will depend on the difference between the previous and replacement devices, the amount they get used and the lifespan of the product.

The older the device you are replacing is the bigger the difference you are likely to see. In the same way the more energy the device requires to run the greater the possible savings. I.e replacing an old, inefficient, oversized air conditioning unit with a replacement ENERGY STAR accredited one that is the exact size for your space, will make a marked impact whereas replacing your dishwasher with one that is just 10% more efficient will have a markedly smaller impact.

Research suggests that if your fridge was built in the 1990’s you could save up to $270 in five years, however if it was built in within the last decade the money you save will be much lower.

You also have to make certain you use your devices efficiency settings to get the greatest reductions. For example, manual defrost is more energy-efficient than auto defrost, but only if you remember to keep defrosting.

When contrasting new devices factoring in both the ticket price and the running costs will help you make the prime decision for you.

How Electricity Saving Devices Help the Environment

Reducing energy consumption isn’t all about reducing your bills. Reducing energy consumption also has an environmental impact.

Human actions have big effects on the planet, one of the most obvious of which is the release of carbon dioxide into the environment through the use of non-renewable resources that can be responsible for air quality degradation and global warming.

As we become more aware of the environmental impact of our daily choices the market is reacting with less wasteful solutions to our needs. Whether that is electric cars or in this case low energy washing machines.

What are ENERGY STAR rated Household Appliances?

The ENERGY STAR symbol was started in 1992 to allow for an readily detectable way for people to decide upon more efficient appliances.

Rated appliances must meet both energy efficiency and consumer expectations in regards to quality and attributes.

The conditions for the ENERGY STAR certification vary between different appliances. In order to gain the star mark, household appliances must be a minimum percentage more efficient than the standard model in their class.

However, not all ENERGY STAR rated products are the same in terms of efficiency. I.e a freezer that is 12% more efficient and one that uses 22% less energy would get the rating. Therefore although looking out for the symbol is a simple place to start, it is still worth finding out the actual figures before picking the best one for you.

Is an Energy Efficient Appliance Right for You?

Electricity saving household appliances really do make a difference on an individual and global level, reducing your bills and better use of energy and resources.

Next time you are looking for a new device read the EnergyGuide label. It indicates the amount of energy an appliance gets through and makes it more straight forward to decide between brands and styles.

You may also want to check how much you spend on your energy so you can make more personalized comparisons.

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

  • Paying for one large fridge is more efficient than having two little ones. Unless you only turn on the spare one during the holidays
  • When purchasing a replacement washing machine consider the amount of washing you tend to do as running a space saving machine multiple times is less efficient than using a higher capacity machine once.
  • Even the best boiler will never save you money if it’s four times the size you need for your home.

Appliances reduce in efficiency as they deteriorate so replace over 10 years old first and if you are able to, focus on the appliances that contribute most to your overall energy usage.

Additional Types of Appliances