Energy Efficient Appliances

Most household appliances look very similar from the outside but they can vary all together when it comes to energy economy and therefore operating costs.

In this article you will discover all you need to know about energy efficient household appliances. Learn more about what energy electricity efficient household appliances are, how they work, the benefits 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 A&L Corona Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Household Appliance?

Put simply energy efficiency is employing lower energy to give the same results. For example, replacing a filament light bulb with an energy efficient LED bulb that produces the same amount of light or insulating your walls so you need less heating.

Energy efficiency is linked to but not the same as energy conservation which involves making use of less energy by adjusting behaviours or habits. Eg choosing to cycle when you might normally have used the car or only running the dishwasher when you have a full load.

Electricity saving household appliances are created to offer the same results in a more efficient way allowing you to save energy. Less power requirements result in lower utility bills and fewer environmental impacts.

Many household appliances for sale in the United States are ENERGY STAR rated, meaning they offer better energy efficiency compared to lower efficiency models, typically ranging from 10-50%. Most devices also have EnergyGuide labels which advertize how efficient they are when looked at next to other similar household appliances.

These simple labels can be a good place to start when figuring out if a device is electricity saving or not.

Types of Energy Efficient Appliances

Some examples of low energy household appliances include:

Fridge-Freezers
Air Conditioners
Boilers
Washers
Dishwashers

How Energy Conserving Household Appliances work

Energy efficient appliances work by taking advantage of the most up to date technology to minimize electricity consumption. That might mean better insulation in freezers, filters in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in dryers to limit drying time.

Reasons to Choose Low Energy Goods

Switching to energy efficient household appliances makes sense for multiple reasons:

Saving energy. The more economical a device is the less resources it needs to undertake its task. Meaning you can gain a dramatic reduction in energy consumption without losing any productivity.
Reducing cost. Although energy-efficient appliances may have a higher ticket price they will inevitably save you money in the long run by cutting your electricity bills.
Environmental advantages. Most of the power we need for our homes comes from non-renewable resources and results in greenhouse gas emissions. Lessening our abuse of fossil fuels also keeps them for future use in a more sustainable way.
Resource Security. With resource prices consistently going up and natural resources always depleting choosing more efficient appliances is a more sustainable option.

Do Electricity Efficient Appliances Really Cost Less?

Energy efficient devices save you money by reducing your electricity consumption and therefore your utility bills.

How much you save and whether or not you enjoy a big difference in your annual bills will depend on the difference between the previous and replacement household appliances, the amount they get used and the lifespan of the product.

The older the device you are upgrading is the more you are likely to save. Similarly the more energy the device uses to run the bigger the likely savings. I.e replacing an worn out, inefficient, overcapacity air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR accredited one that is the perfect size for your home, will make a marked difference whereas replacing your fridge with one that is only 10% less energy intensive will have a much less noticeable impact.

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

You also have to make sure you understand your devices energy-efficient functions 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 examining new appliances factoring in both the upfront price and the usage costs will help you make the best decision for you.

How Low Energy Household Appliances Help the Planet

Reducing energy consumption isn’t all about reducing your bills. Minimizing energy requirements also has an environmental impact.

Human actions have irreversible impacts on the natural world, one of the most prevalent of which is the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere through the use of oil and gas that appear to be linked to air pollution and global warming.

As we become more aware of the environmental effect of our daily choices the market is replying with more energy efficient solutions to our problems. Whether that is reusable straws or in this case low energy washing machines.

What are ENERGY STAR marked Devices?

The ENERGY STAR certification was formed in 1992 to provide an quickly understandable way for consumers to decide upon more efficient appliances.

Certified products must meet both power efficiency and consumer needs in regards to quality and features.

The qualifications for the ENERGY STAR certification vary between different appliances. In order to have the rating, appliances are required to be at least a certain percentage more efficient than the standard product in their class.

This means, not all ENERGY STAR marked appliances are equal in terms of efficiency. For example a fridge that uses 15% less energy and one that is 20% more efficient could get the symbol. So although making sure you see the rating is a simple first step, it is still worth checking the actual energy usage before picking the best one for you.

Is an Electricity Saving Appliance Right for You?

Energy efficient household appliances really do make a difference at a local and global level, saving you money over time and conserving both energy and resources.

If you are shopping for a new appliance read the EnergyGuide label. This label tells you the amount of energy an appliance needs and makes it more straight forward to contrast makes and styles.

You may also want to know how much you spend on your energy so you can make more personalized comparisons.

Size matters when it comes to appliances. For example:

Running one full size fridge is more efficient than paying for two small ones. Unless you only use the second one during the holidays
When purchasing a replacement washing machine consider the load size as running a smaller machine two times will cost more than running a higher capacity machine for a single run.
Even the lowest energy boiler will not save you money if it’s four times the capacity you need for your home.

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