Energy Efficient Appliances

The majority of household appliances appear very similar from the outside but they can vary dramatically when it comes to energy efficiency and as a result operating expenditure.

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

What is an Energy Efficient Household Appliance?

Put simply energy efficiency is making use of decreased energy to give the same results. This could mean, replacing a filament bulb with a more efficient LED bulb that produces the same amount of light or insulating your home so you need less heating.

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

Electricity efficient appliances are made to provide equivalent results with lower energy requirements allowing you to save money. Reduced electricity usage result in lower electricity bills and less environmental impact.

Many appliances available in the USA are ENERGY STAR rated, meaning they offer higher energy efficiency compared to base models, typically ranging from 10-50%. Most appliances also have EnergyGuide labels which display how efficient they are when looked at next to other similar appliances.

These ratings can be a great place to start when determining if an appliance is low energy or not.

Types of Low Energy Devices

Some examples of electricity efficient appliances include:

Fridge-Freezers
Air Conditioners
Water Heaters
Washing Machines
Dishwashers

How Low Energy Household Appliances work

Low energy devices work by taking advantage of the latest techniques to minimize energy consumption. That might look like superior insulation in fridges, dirt sensors in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in tumble dryers to limit drying time.

Reasons to Switch to Electricity Saving Appliances

Switching to electricity efficient appliances makes sense for a number of reasons:

Reducing energy. The more economical a device is the less resources it uses to complete its task. Meaning you can gain a sizable saving in energy without having to change your habits.
Reducing cost. Although energy-efficient household appliances are likely to have a bigger ticket price they will generally save you money over time by reducing your electricity bills.
Environmental advantages. Most of the energy we use in our homes comes from fossil fuels and results in the emission of greenhouse gases. Reducing our use of natural resources also conserves them for future generations.
Resource Security. With fuel prices consistently rising and natural resources continually being used up choosing more efficient household appliances is a more sustainable option.

Do Energy Conserving Household Appliances Actually Save Money?

Energy efficient household appliances save you money by reducing your energy consumption and therefore your electricity bills.

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

The older the good you are upgrading is the more you are likely to save. In the same way the more energy it needs to run the more significant the possible savings. For example replacing an worn out, inefficient, too big air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR marked one that is the exact size for your home, could make a noticeable impact whereas replacing your dishwasher with one that is just 10% more efficient will have a markedly 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 made in the last 10 years the financial rewards will be much lower.

You also have to make certain you make use of your household appliances energy-efficient functions to get the most significant savings. For example, there is no point having super energy efficient machine if you always wash at high temperatures.

When examining new household appliances factoring in both the purchase price and the running costs will help you make the prime decision for you.

How Energy Conserving Devices Help the Planet

Reducing energy consumption isn’t all about cutting costs. Minimizing energy usage also has an environmental impact.

The things we do have massive impacts on the natural world, one of the most obvious of which is the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels that have been correlated to air quality degradation and climate change.

As more and more of us are becoming aware of the environmental cost of our daily actions the market is reacting with less wasteful solutions to our problems. Whether that is electric cars or in this case low energy dehumidifiers.

What are ENERGY STAR marked Household Appliances?

The ENERGY STAR mark was created in 1992 to ensure an easily recognizable way for people to decide upon more sustainable devices.

Rated appliances must meet both energy consumption and consumer expectations in regards to quality and features.

The qualifications for the ENERGY STAR mark vary between different appliances. In order to gain the ENERGY STAR, appliances must be a minimum percentage less energy intensive than the standard product in their class.

As a result, not all ENERGY STAR rated appliances are equal in terms of efficiency. I.e a washing machine that uses 12% less energy and one that is 18% more efficient would get the rating. So although looking out for the symbol is a simple place to start, it is still worth checking the actual energy savings before picking the best one for you.

Is an Low Energy Appliance the Best Choice for Your Home?

Energy efficient household appliances really do make a impression at an individual and national level, reducing your bills and better use of energy and resources.

Next time you are shopping for a new appliance have a look at the EnergyGuide label. It shows the cost of electricity an appliance needs and makes it more straight forward to contrast makes and designs.

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

Size counts when it comes to home appliances. For example:

Paying for one bigger fridge is more efficient than running two smaller ones. Unless you only use the second one occasionally
When buying a new washing machine consider the amount of washing you tend to do as running a space saving machine twice uses more energy than running a higher capacity machine for a single run.
Even the lowest energy boiler will be unable to reduce your bills if it’s three times the capacity you should be using for your home.

Household appliances reduce in efficiency as they get older so replace older items first and if you can, focus on the appliances that use the most energy.