Energy Efficient Appliances

Most appliances look very comparable from the outside but they can vary completely when it comes to energy efficiency and as a result operating expenditure.

Here you will learn all you need to know about energy conserving household appliances. Discover what energy electricity efficient household appliances are, what makes them different, the advantages of paying that little bit extra and when you should make the change. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact Orem Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Home Appliance?

Basically energy efficiency is employing reduced energy to give the same results. This could mean, replacing a filament light bulb with an energy efficient fluorescent bulb that produces the same amount of light or insulating your home so you need to turn the heating on less often.

Energy efficiency is similar to but different from energy conservation which requires using less energy by adjusting behaviours or habits. Eg opting to walk when you might normally have used the car or only running the washing machine when you have a full load.

Low energy appliances are created to give equivalent results with lower energy requirements allowing you to save money. Lower power usage result in lower utility bills and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Many household appliances available in the USA are ENERGY STAR marked, meaning they offer superior energy efficiency compared to lower rated models, typically ranging from 10-50%. Most devices will also have EnergyGuide labels which display how economical they are compared to other similar appliances.

These simple labels can be a handy first point of call when determining if an appliance is electricity saving or not.

Types of Low Energy Appliances

Some examples of energy conserving household appliances include:

  • Fridge-Freezers
  • Air Conditioners
  • Boilers
  • Washing Machines
  • Tumble Dryers

How Low Energy Household Appliances work

Electricity saving appliances work by utilizing the best current techniques to maximize efficiency. That might be better insulation in fridges, filters in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in tumble dryers to reduce drying time.

Reasons to Choose Electricity Efficient Devices

Choosing energy efficient household appliances makes sense for many reasons:

  1. Saving energy. The more energy-efficient an appliance is the less resources it uses . Meaning you can experience a dramatic reduction in energy consumption without losing any productivity.
  2. Saving money. Although lower energy appliances might have a higher ticket price they will generally save you money over time by cutting your utility bills.
  3. Environmental advantages. Most of the energy we use in our daily lives comes from oil and gas and results in the emission of greenhouse gases. Lessening our wastefulness of natural resources also keeps them for future generations.
  4. Energy Security. With energy costs consistently going up and natural resources constantly depleting choosing energy-efficient household appliances will allow our demands to be met for longer.

Do Energy Conserving Devices Really Reduce Bills?

Electricity efficient devices save you money by reducing your power usage and in turn your utility bills.

How much you save and whether or not you see a substantial reduction in your household bills will depend on the difference between the existing and replacement household appliances, how much you use them and how long the product lasts.

The older the device you are replacing is the more you are likely to save. In the same way the more energy the appliance uses to run the more significant the potential savings. For example replacing an old, inefficient, oversized air conditioning unit with a new ENERGY STAR marked one that is the correct size for your home, will make a notable impact whereas replacing your dishwasher with one that is just 10% more efficient will have a significantly smaller impact.

Reports suggest that if your fridge was produced last century you are looking to save up to $270 in five years, but if it was made in within the last decade the money you save will be much less significant.

You also have to make certain you understand your household appliances efficiency functions to get the best reductions. For example, setting your dryer for a fixed time negates its ability to sense when your clothes are nearly dry.

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

How Electricity Efficient Household Appliances Help the Planet

Saving energy isn’t all about cutting costs. Reducing energy requirements also has a sustainability impact.

Our actions have massive effects on the natural world, one of the most obvious of which is the release of carbon dioxide into the air through the burning of oil and gas that appear to be correlated to air pollution and climate change.

As more and more of us are becoming aware of the environmental effect of our daily decisions the market is replying with more energy efficient solutions to our requirements. Whether that is cheaper solar panels or in this case low energy washing machines.

What are ENERGY STAR rated Devices?

The ENERGY STAR mark was formed in 1992 to ensure an readily understandable way for consumers to decide upon more sustainable appliances.

Rated appliances must meet both power performance and consumer expectations in regards to quality and attributes.

The qualifications for the ENERGY STAR rating vary between different appliances. In order to have the ENERGY STAR, devices are required to be a minimum percentage more efficient than the base model in their category.

However, not all ENERGY STAR rated goods are the same in terms of efficiency. I.e a freezer that uses 15% less energy and one that uses 18% less energy might get the symbol. Therefore although only looking at products with the rating is a great starting point, it is still worth checking the actual energy savings before making your final choice.

Is an Electricity Efficient Appliance Right for Your Home?

Energy efficient household appliances really do make a impact on an individual and global level, saving you money over time and more resources to go around.

When you are in the market for a new device have a look at the EnergyGuide label. This tells you the cost of electricity an appliance uses and makes it easier to contrast brands and designs.

You might also want to check how much your electricity costs you so you can make accurate comparisons.

Size matters when it comes to appliances. For example:

  • Running one full size fridge is more efficient than paying for two smaller ones. Unless you only need the extra one occasionally
  • When choosing a new washing machine think about the load size as running a lower capacity machine two times uses more energy than using a bigger machine for a single run.
  • Even the best boiler will be unable to reduce your bills if it’s two times the spec you need for your home.

Devices reduce in efficiency as they deteriorate so replace over 10 years old first and if you are able to, focus on the ones that use the most energy.

Additional Types of Appliances

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