Energy Efficient Appliances

Most appliances appear very comparable externally but they can vary completely when it comes to energy economy and consequently operating expenditure.

In this article you can learn all you need to know about electricity saving devices. Discover what energy low energy devices 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 Dixon Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Home Appliance?

Basically energy efficiency is employing decreased energy to provide the same function. This could mean, replacing a traditional bulb with a lower energy fluorescent bulb that produces the same amount of light or insulating your walls so you need to turn the heating on less often.

Energy efficiency is similar to but not the same as energy conservation which requires employing less energy by adjusting behaviors or habits. Eg opting to cycle when you might normally have used the car or only running the dishwasher when you have a full load.

Energy efficient household appliances are made to provide the same results with lower energy requirements allowing you to save energy. Reduced energy usage result in lower electricity bills and less environmental impact.

Many devices available in the United States are ENERGY STAR certified, meaning they offer use less power than base models, normally ranging from 10-50%. Most devices have EnergyGuide labels which show how efficient they are in comparison to other similar household appliances.

These ratings can be a good first point of call when determining if an appliance is low energy or not.

Types of Energy Efficient Appliances

Some examples of electricity efficient devices include:

  • Fridges
  • Dehumidifiers
  • Boilers
  • Washing Machines
  • Tumble Dryers

How Electricity Saving Household Appliances work

Electricity efficient household appliances work by taking advantage of the most up to date techniques to minimize energy consumption. That might look like superior insulation in freezers, dirt sensors in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in tumble dryers to minimize drying time.

Benefits of Electricity Saving Appliances

Using energy efficient household appliances makes sense for multiple reasons:

  1. Reducing energy. The less energy intensive an appliance is the less power it requires to undertake its task. Meaning you can see a sizable saving in energy without losing any productivity.
  2. Saving money. Although more efficient household appliances are likely to have a bigger ticket price they will inevitably save you money in the long run by cutting your utility bills.
  3. Environmental benefits. 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 exploitation of natural resources also conserves them for future generations.
  4. Fuel Security. With energy costs continually rising and natural resources constantly being used up choosing more efficient household appliances will allow our demands to be met for longer.

Do Energy Conserving Appliances Really Reduce Bills?

Energy conserving appliances save you money by reducing your power usage and therefore your energy bills.

How much you save and whether or not you enjoy a noticeable reduction in your monthly bills will depend on the difference between the old and replacement devices, how much you use them and how long the product lasts.

The older the appliance you are upgrading is the bigger the difference you are likely to see. Similarly the more energy the device needs to run the more significant the potential savings. I.e replacing an broken, wasteful, oversized air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR accredited one that is the perfect size for your space, could make a noticeable difference whereas replacing your dishwasher with one that is only 10% more efficient is likely to have a significantly less noticeable impact.

Studies suggest that if your fridge was built over 20 years ago you could save up to $270 in five years, however if it was produced in within the last decade the financial rewards will be much lower.

You also have to ensure you use your household appliances energy-efficient settings to get the greatest savings. For example, manual defrost is more energy-efficient than auto defrost, but only if you remember to keep defrosting.

When comparing new appliances factoring in both the upfront price and the ongoing costs will help you make the top decision for you.

How Energy Efficient Devices Help the Environment

Reducing energy consumption isn’t all about reducing your bills. Cutting energy consumption also has a sustainability impact.

Human actions have big effects on the planet, one of the most pressing of which is the release of greenhouse gasses into the air through the consumption of fossil fuels that are likely to be linked to air pollution and global warming.

As we become more aware of the environmental effect of our daily actions the market is responding with more energy efficient solutions to our needs. Whether that is electric cars or in this case low energy washing machines.

What are ENERGY STAR rating Devices?

The ENERGY STAR certification was created in 1992 to allow for an quickly detectable way for consumers to opt-for more efficient household appliances.

Rated products must meet both energy efficiency and consumer requirements in regards to fulfillment and attributes.

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

This means, not all ENERGY STAR certified appliances are the same when it comes to energy efficiency. For example a washing machine that is 15% more efficient and one that is 18% more efficient might get the rating. So although looking out for the rating is a great first step, it is still worth finding out the actual energy usage before making your final choice.

Is an Electricity Saving Appliance Right for Your Home?

Energy conserving appliances really do make a impact on an individual and national level, meaning more money in your pocket and more resources to go around.

When you are shopping for a new appliance have a look at the EnergyGuide label. It tells you the amount of energy an appliance gets through and makes it simpler to contrast brands and designs.

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

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

  • Having one big fridge is more efficient than having two little ones. Unless you only use the extra one occasionally
  • When choosing a replacement washing machine consider the amount of washing you tend to do as running a space saving machine two times is less efficient than using a higher capacity machine for a single run.
  • Even the best boiler will never reduce your bills if it’s two times the size you require for your home.

Appliances get less efficient as they age so replace over 10 years old first and if you can, focus on the appliances that use the most energy.

Additional Types of Appliances