Energy Efficient Appliances

Many household appliances look very similar externally but they can vary completely when it comes to energy saving and consequently running expenditure.

In this article you can learn all you need to know about electricity efficient devices. Learn more about what energy electricity saving household appliances are, how they operate, the benefits 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 Acclaim Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Home Appliance?

Basically energy efficiency is making use of reduced energy to perform the same function. For example, replacing an incandescent bulb with a lower energy LED bulb that produces the same brightness or insulating your walls so you need to turn the heating on less often.

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

Energy efficient devices are made to provide the same results in a more efficient way allowing you to save money. Reduced energy requirements result in lower utility bills and less environmental impact.

Many devices currently manufactured in the United States are ENERGY STAR marked, meaning they offer superior energy efficiency compared to lower rated models, normally ranging from 10-50%. Most appliances display EnergyGuide labels which demonstrate how economical they are in comparison to other comparable devices.

These simple labels can be a handy starting point when deciding if a device is energy conserving or not.

Types of Electricity Efficient Appliances

Some examples of energy efficient appliances include:

Fridge-Freezers
Dehumidifiers
Water Heaters
Washers
Tumble Dryers

How Energy Conserving Household Appliances work

Low energy devices work by utilizing the best current techniques to minimize electricity consumption. That might be better insulation in freezers, filters in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in clothes dryers to limit drying time.

Reasons to Choose Low Energy Appliances

Choosing electricity saving devices is a good idea for many reasons:

Reducing energy. The more economical a device is the less power it requires . Meaning you can see a big saving in energy without losing any productivity.
Saving money. Although energy-efficient household appliances might have a bigger ticket price they will generally save you money over time by cutting your electricity bills.
Environmental advantages. Most of the energy 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 keeps them for future use in a more sustainable way.
Resource Security. With resource costs continually rising and natural resources continually depleting choosing less energy intensive devices will allow our demands to be met for longer.

Do Electricity Saving Devices Actually Save Money?

Electricity saving household appliances save you money by reducing your energy consumption and therefore your utility bills.

The extent to which you save and whether or not you see a noticeable fall in your monthly bills will depend on the relative efficiency of the previous and replacement household appliances, how much you use them and how long the product lasts.

The older the appliance you are upgrading is the more you are likely to save. Similarly the more energy it uses to run the bigger the possible savings. For example substituting an broken, wasteful, overcapacity air conditioning unit with a new ENERGY STAR rated one that is the exact size for your home, could make a marked difference whereas replacing your fridge with one that is only 10% less energy intensive is likely to have a much less noticeable impact.

Reports suggest that if your fridge was built over 20 years ago you are looking to save up to $270 in five years, but if it was built in within the last decade the savings will be much less.

You also have to make sure you use your appliances energy saving settings to get the most significant savings. For example, setting your dryer for a fixed time negates its ability to sense when your clothes are nearly dry.

When contrasting new appliances factoring in both the purchase price and the usage costs will make sure you make the prime choice for you.

How Energy Efficient Devices Help the Planet

Energy efficiency isn’t only about saving you money. 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 consumption of non-renewable resources that appear to be correlated to air quality degradation and climate change.

As more and more of us are becoming aware of the environmental effect of our daily decisions the market is responding with more eco-friendly solutions to our requirements. Whether that is electric cars or in this case low energy dehumidifiers.

What are ENERGY STAR marked Devices?

The ENERGY STAR symbol was formed in 1992 to provide an quickly detectable way for buyers to choose more eco-friendly devices.

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

The qualifications for the ENERGY STAR mark vary between different appliances. In order to be awarded the rating, appliances are required to be a minimum percentage less energy intensive than the standard product in their category.

As a result, not all ENERGY STAR marked goods are equal in terms of efficiency. I.e a freezer that uses 10% less energy and one that is 18% more efficient could get the rating. Therefore although making sure you see the rating is a great first step, it is still worth finding out the actual energy savings before making your final choice.

Is an Energy Conserving Appliance the Best Choice for You?

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

When you are looking for a new appliance read the EnergyGuide label. It tells you the cost of energy an appliance gets through and makes it more straight forward to decide between brands and styles.

You may also want to make a note of 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 requires less energy than having two small ones. Unless you only turn on the extra one occasionally
When buying a new washing machine consider the amount of washing you tend to do as running a space saving machine multiple times uses more energy than using a higher capacity machine once.
Even the best water heater will not save you money if it’s two times the spec you need for your home.

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