Energy Efficient Appliances

The majority of devices appear very comparable on the face of it but they can vary all together when it comes to energy saving and as a result operating costs.

Here you will learn everything you need to know about low energy appliances. Discover what energy efficient household appliances are, what makes them different, the benefits of making the switch and when you should make the investment. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact F&S Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Household Appliance?

Put simply energy efficiency is making use of reduced energy to gain the same outcome. This could mean, replacing an incandescent 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 linked to but not the same as energy conservation which requires making use of less energy by requiring a different result. Eg choosing to take the bus when you might normally have used the car or only running the dishwasher when you have a full load.

Electricity efficient appliances are made to offer equivalent results using less energy allowing you to save energy. Less power requirements result in lower electricity bills and less use of fossil fuels.

Many devices currently manufactured in the USA are ENERGY STAR certified, meaning they offer use less energy than lower efficiency models, normally ranging from 10-50%. Most appliances will also have EnergyGuide labels which display how economical they are in comparison to other similar devices.

These simple labels can be a great place to start when determining if an appliance is electricity efficient or not.

Types of Low Energy Appliances

Some different types of electricity efficient appliances include:

Refrigerators
Dehumidifiers
Boilers
Washing Machines
Dishwashers

How Low Energy Devices work

Energy conserving devices work by taking advantage of the best current technology to ensure they use as little electric as they can. That might mean better insulation in fridges, dirt sensors in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in dryers to reduce drying time.

Benefits of Energy Efficient Goods

Choosing low energy household appliances makes sense for many reasons:

Reducing energy. The more economical an appliance is the less power it requires . Meaning you can gain a dramatic reduction in energy consumption without losing any productivity.
Reducing cost. Although energy-efficient household appliances are likely to have a bigger up-front cost they will generally save you money in the long run by reducing your utility bills.
Environmental advantages. Most of the power we need for our daily lives comes from fossil fuels and results in Carbon Dioxide and other gases being released into the atmosphere. Reducing our use of natural resources also preserves them for future generations.
Fuel Security. With resource prices consistently going up and natural resources always depleting choosing more efficient appliances will allow our demands to be met for longer.

Do Low Energy Appliances Actually Save Money?

Electricity saving devices save you money by reducing your power usage and in turn your electricity bills.

The amount you save and whether or not you notice a big fall in your annual 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 bigger the difference you are likely to see. In the same way the more energy the appliance requires to run the bigger the possible savings. I.e replacing an worn out, inefficient, oversized air conditioning unit with a replacement ENERGY STAR rated one that is the correct size for your space, will make a marked difference whereas replacing your fridge 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, but if it was made in the last 10 years the savings will be much lower.

You also have to ensure you make use of your household appliances energy-efficient settings to get the most significant reductions. For example, there is no point having super energy efficient machine if you always wash at high temperatures.

When contrasting new household appliances factoring in both the purchase price and the ongoing costs will ensure you make the prime decision for you.

How Energy Conserving Household Appliances Help the Planet

Energy efficiency isn’t only about reducing your bills. Minimizing energy requirements also has an environmental impact.

Human actions have big impacts on the planet, one of the most prevalent of which is the release of greenhouse gasses into the environment through the consumption of oil and gas that appear to be correlated to air quality decline and climate change.

As more and more of us are becoming aware of the environmental effect of our daily actions the market is responding with less wasteful solutions to our requirements. Whether that is reusable water bottles or in this case low energy refrigerators.

What are ENERGY STAR marked Household Appliances?

The ENERGY STAR mark was started in 1992 to allow for an readily recognizable way for buyers to decide upon more efficient devices.

Certified appliances must meet both power consumption and consumer requirements in regards to fulfillment and attributes.

The qualifications for the ENERGY STAR certification are different for different types of goods. In order to gain the star mark, household appliances must be at least a certain percentage less energy intensive than the base product in their class.

This means, not all ENERGY STAR rated products are equal in terms of efficiency. For example a fridge that is 10% more efficient and one that is 18% more efficient could get the symbol. Therefore although making sure you see the rating is a simple starting point, it is still worth finding out the actual figures before making your final choice.

Is an Electricity Efficient Appliance the Best Choice for You?

Electricity efficient appliances really do make a difference on an individual and global level, saving you money over time and conserving both energy and resources.

Next time you are in the market for a new device read the EnergyGuide label. It tells you the cost of electricity an appliance needs and makes it more straight forward to compare makes and styles.

You might also want to check how much your energy costs you so you can make more personalized comparisons.

Size counts when it comes to appliances. For example:

Paying for one big fridge is more efficient than having two smaller ones. Unless you only use the extra one occasionally
When choosing a replacement washing machine think about the amount of washing you tend to do as running a smaller machine twice is less efficient than using a bigger machine once.
Even the most efficient boiler will never save you money if it’s two times the size you require for your home.

Appliances use more energy as they get older so replace older items first and if you can, focus on the ones that contribute most to your overall energy usage.