Energy Efficient Appliances

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

Here you will discover all you need to know about electricity efficient devices. Learn more about what energy electricity saving devices are, how they operate, the advantages of making the switch and when you should make the switch. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact Express Centreville Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Household Appliance?

In simple terms energy efficiency is making use of less energy to give the same results. This could mean, replacing a filament bulb with a more efficient fluorescent bulb that produces the same brightness or insulating your walls so you need to turn the heating on less often.

Energy efficiency is related to but not the same as energy conservation which involves making use of less energy by changing the outcome. For example, opting to cycle when you might normally have used the car or only putting on the dishwasher when you have a full load.

Low energy appliances are engineered to provide the same outcomes in a more efficient way allowing you to save energy. Less power requirements result in lower energy bills and less use of fossil fuels.

Many appliances for sale in the USA are ENERGY STAR certified, meaning they offer use less electricity than lower efficiency models, usually ranging from 10-50%. Most devices will also have EnergyGuide labels which demonstrate how economical they are compared to other equal capacity devices.

These ratings can be a good starting point when figuring out if a device is low energy or not.

Types of Electricity Efficient Household Appliances

Some different types of low energy devices include:

  • Fridges
  • Air Conditioners
  • Water Heaters
  • Washers
  • Dishwashers

How Energy Efficient Household Appliances work

Electricity saving devices work by utilizing the most up to date techniques to make sure they waste as little electric as possible. That might mean better insulation in freezers, filters in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in clothes dryers to minimize drying time.

Reasons to Choose Electricity Saving Devices

Switching to energy efficient appliances is a good idea for a number of reasons:

  1. Saving energy. The less energy intensive an appliance is the less power it needs to undertake its task. Meaning you can see a dramatic saving in energy without losing any productivity.
  2. Saving money. Although lower energy devices might have a more expensive ticket price they will generally save you money in the long run by cutting your utility bills.
  3. Environmental advantages. Most of the energy we need for our homes comes from non-renewable resources and results in Carbon Dioxide and other gases being released into the atmosphere. Reducing our wastefulness of natural resources also conserves them for future use in a more sustainable way.
  4. Resource Security. With energy prices constantly going up and natural resources always depleting choosing less energy intensive appliances is a more sustainable option.

Do Electricity Saving Devices Really Save Money?

Energy conserving household appliances save you money by reducing your power consumption and therefore your electricity bills.

How much you save and whether or not you notice a noticeable difference in your household bills will depend on the relative efficiency of the existing and replacement household appliances, the intensity of use and how long the product lasts.

The older the appliance you are changing is the more you are likely to save. Similarly the more energy it uses to run the more significant the possible savings. I.e replacing an broken, wasteful, oversized air conditioning unit with a replacement ENERGY STAR marked one that is the exact size for your home, will make a marked difference whereas replacing your dishwasher with one that is only 10% less energy intensive is likely to have a much less noticeable impact.

Reports suggest that if your fridge was made over 20 years ago you could gain up to $270 in five years, however if it was made in the last 10 years the money you save will be much less significant.

You also have to make certain you understand your household appliances efficiency settings 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 comparing new household appliances factoring in both the upfront price and the usage costs will help you make the prime decision for you.

How Low Energy Household Appliances Help the Environment

Reducing energy consumption isn’t just about reducing your bills. Minimizing energy requirements also has a sustainability impact.

Human actions have irreversible effects on the environment, one of the most prevalent of which is the release of greenhouse gasses into the air through the burning of fossil fuels that appear to be responsible for air quality degradation and global warming.

As the general population become more aware of the environmental effect of our daily decisions the market is reacting with more energy efficient solutions to our problems. Whether that is reusable coffee cups or in this case low energy refrigerators.

What are ENERGY STAR certified Appliances?

The ENERGY STAR certification was started in 1992 to ensure an readily detectable way for people to decide upon more sustainable household appliances.

Certified products must meet both power performance and consumer requirements in regards to performance and features.

The requirements for the ENERGY STAR rating change according to the device being tested. In order to gain the rating, household appliances must be at least a certain percentage less energy intensive than the standard design in their grouping.

As a result, not all ENERGY STAR marked products are the same in terms of efficiency. For example a freezer that uses 15% less energy and one that uses 22% less energy could get the symbol. Thus although looking out for the rating is a simple first step, it is still worth checking the actual energy savings before making your final choice.

Is an Energy Conserving Appliance the Best Choice for You?

Energy conserving household appliances really do make a difference at an individual and national level, saving you money over time and better use of energy and resources.

If you are in the market for a new device have a look at the EnergyGuide label. This label tells you the amount of energy an appliance gets through and makes it easier to contrast makes and styles.

You’ll also want to check how much you spend on your energy so you can make accurate comparisons.

Size counts when it comes to appliances. For example:

  • Having one full size fridge requires less energy than paying for two smaller ones. Unless you only use the spare one at certain times of the year
  • When buying a new washing machine consider the size of the drum as running a lower capacity machine twice will cost more than using a higher capacity machine once.
  • Even the most efficient boiler will be unable to reduce your bills if it’s two times the size you should be using for your home.

Household appliances use more energy as they get older so replace items that are past their best first and if you are able to, focus on the ones that use the most energy.

Additional Types of Appliances