Energy Efficient Appliances

The majority of household appliances look very comparable outwardly but they can vary completely when it comes to energy economy and as a result running costs.

Here you can find out all you need to know about energy conserving appliances. Discover what energy efficient devices are, what makes them different, the advantages of paying that little bit extra and whether they are right for you and your home. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact Excel Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Home Appliance?

Put simply energy efficiency is employing less energy to perform the same function. For example, replacing an incandescent light bulb with a more efficient fluorescent bulb that produces the same level of light or insulating your roof so you need less heating.

Energy efficiency is similar to but different from energy conservation which involves using less energy by changing the outcome. For example, opting to cycle when you might normally have used the car or only using the dishwasher when you have a full load.

Energy efficient household appliances are designed to give equivalent outcomes with lower energy requirements allowing you to save energy. Reduced power requirements result in lower utility bills and fewer environmental impacts.

Many appliances for sale in the USA are ENERGY STAR certified, meaning they offer better energy efficiency compared to lower rated models, normally ranging from 10-50%. Most household appliances will also have EnergyGuide labels which display how efficient they are when looked at next to other comparable household appliances.

These simple labels can be a good place to start when deciding if an appliance is energy efficient or not.

Types of Electricity Saving Appliances

Some different types of energy efficient appliances include:

  • Fridge-Freezers
  • Air Purifiers
  • Boilers
  • Washers
  • Dishwashers

How Electricity Efficient Devices work

Electricity saving household appliances work by employing the latest technology to minimize electricity consumption. That might be better insulation in fridges, filters in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in clothes dryers to reduce drying time.

Advantages of Low Energy Devices

Using low energy appliances is a good idea for multiple reasons:

  1. Saving energy. The less energy intensive a device is the less resources it needs . Meaning you can experience a dramatic reduction in energy consumption without losing any productivity.
  2. Reducing cost. Although lower energy household appliances may have a higher initial cost they will inevitably save you money in the long run by cutting your electricity bills.
  3. Environmental benefits. Most of the power we use in 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. Fuel Security. With energy prices continually increasing and natural resources continually depleting choosing energy-efficient household appliances will allow our demands to be met for longer.

Do Low Energy Devices Actually Save Money?

Electricity efficient appliances save you money by reducing your energy usage and therefore your energy bills.

The extent to which you save and whether or not you enjoy a noticeable difference in your monthly bills will depend on the difference between the previous and new household appliances, how much you use them and the lifespan of the product.

The older the appliance you are upgrading is the bigger the difference you are likely to see. In the same way the more energy the device requires to run the more significant the likely savings. For example substituting an worn out, wasteful, too big air conditioning unit with a new ENERGY STAR marked one that is the exact size for your space, could make a noticeable difference whereas uprating your dishwasher with one that is just 10% more efficient is likely to have a much smaller impact.

Reports suggest that if your fridge was made last century you are looking to save up to $270 in five years, but if it was made in the last 10 years the savings will be much lower.

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

When comparing new household appliances factoring in both the ticket price and the usage costs will help you make the prime choice for you.

How Low Energy Devices Help the Environment

Reducing energy consumption isn’t just about saving you money. Cutting energy requirements also has a sustainability impact.

Human actions have big impacts on the natural world, one of the most obvious of which is the release of carbon dioxide into the environment through the consumption of non-renewable resources that can be responsible for air pollution and global warming.

As more and more of us are becoming aware of the environmental impact of our daily decisions the market is reacting with more eco-friendly solutions to our needs. Whether that is reusable water bottles or in this case low energy air conditioners.

What are ENERGY STAR certified Household Appliances?

The ENERGY STAR symbol was started in 1992 to allow for an quickly detectable way for buyers to opt-for more sustainable household appliances.

Certified appliances must meet both energy efficiency and consumer expectations in regards to fulfillment and features.

The conditions for the ENERGY STAR rating change according to the device being tested. In order to gain the rating, appliances must be at least a certain percentage more efficient than the standard model in their class.

As a result, not all ENERGY STAR certified products are the same when it comes to energy efficiency. I.e a washing machine that uses 15% less energy and one that is 22% more efficient could get the symbol. Therefore although looking out for the rating is a simple place to start, it is still worth checking the actual energy savings before picking the best one for you.

Is an Energy Efficient Appliance Right for Your Home?

Electricity efficient appliances really do make a impression on an individual and global level, reducing your bills and more resources to go around.

If you are looking for a new device check the EnergyGuide label. This label shows the cost of energy an appliance uses and makes it more straight forward to contrast makes and models.

You’ll also want to know how much your energy costs you so you can make accurate comparisons.

Size matters when it comes to appliances. For example:

  • Paying for one big fridge is more efficient than having two small ones. Unless you only use the spare one during the holidays
  • When choosing a new washing machine think about the amount of washing you tend to do as running a space saving machine multiple times will cost more than turning on a bigger machine for a single run.
  • Even the best boiler will be unable to save you money if it’s four times the size you should be using for your home.

Appliances reduce in efficiency as they get older so replace items that are past their best first and if you have the funds available, focus on the items that use the most energy.

Additional Types of Appliances

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