Energy Efficient Appliances

Most devices appear very comparable on the face of it but they can vary completely when it comes to energy economy and consequently running expenditure.

In this article you will understand all you need to know about low energy devices. Learn more about what energy energy conserving appliances are, how they operate, the benefits of choosing them and when you should make the investment. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact Ready Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Home Appliance?

Put simply energy efficiency is using reduced energy to perform the same function. For example, replacing an incandescent bulb with a lower energy LED 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 different from energy conservation which involves using less energy by requiring a different result. For example, opting to walk when you might normally have used the car or just putting on the washing machine when you have a full load.

Energy conserving household appliances are made to offer the same results with lower energy requirements allowing you to save money. Lower electricity usage result in lower utility bills and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Many appliances available in the USA are ENERGY STAR rated, meaning they offer use less power than standard models, normally ranging from 10-50%. Most appliances will also have EnergyGuide labels which advertise how efficient they are compared to other comparable devices.

These simple labels can be a handy starting point when determining if an appliance is low energy or not.

Types of Low Energy Devices

Some examples of energy efficient household appliances include:

Fridge-Freezers
Air Purifiers
Water Heaters
Washers
Dishwashers

How Energy Conserving Appliances work

Low energy household appliances work by utilizing the best current technology to make sure they use as little power as possible. That might look like more advanced insulation in fridges, dirt sensors in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in clothes dryers to limit drying time.

Benefits of Energy Conserving Appliances

Choosing energy efficient appliances makes sense for many reasons:

Saving energy. The less energy intensive a device is the less power it requires to undertake its task. Meaning you can gain a big saving in energy without having to change your habits.
Saving money. Although energy-efficient devices may have a higher initial cost they will generally save you money over time by reducing your electricity bills.
Environmental benefits. Most of the power we use in our homes comes from fossil fuels and results in the emission of greenhouse gases. Reducing our wastefulness of non-renewable resources also preserves them for future use in a more sustainable way.
Resource Security. With fuel costs consistently increasing and natural resources constantly depleting choosing more efficient household appliances will allow our demands to be met for longer.

Do Energy Conserving Appliances Genuinely Cost Less?

Electricity saving household appliances save you money by reducing your energy consumption and in turn your energy bills.

The extent to which you save and whether or not you see a big difference in your annual bills will depend on the relative efficiency of the existing and replacement appliances, how much you use them and the lifespan of the product.

The older the appliance you are replacing is the more you are likely to save. Likewise the more energy the appliance requires to run the bigger the possible savings. For example substituting an broken, inefficient, oversized air conditioning unit with a new ENERGY STAR marked one that is the perfect size for your home, could make a notable difference whereas replacing your fridge with one that is just 10% less energy intensive will have a significantly less noticeable impact.

Reports suggest that if your fridge was built in the 1990’s you could gain 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 make sure you make use of your devices energy saving settings to get the best 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 upfront price and the usage costs will ensure you make the best decision for you.

How Low Energy Appliances Help the Environment

Energy efficiency isn’t just about reducing your bills. Cutting energy usage also has an environmental impact.

Human actions have massive effects on the natural world, one of the most pressing of which is the release of greenhouse gasses into the air through the use of non-renewable resources that are likely to be correlated to air quality decline and climate change.

As we become more aware of the environmental effect of our daily decisions the market is responding with more environmentally friendly solutions to our requirements. Whether that is electric cars or in this case low energy refrigerators.

What are ENERGY STAR rated Devices?

The ENERGY STAR mark was created in 1992 to provide an easily recognizable way for buyers to choose more eco-friendly household appliances.

Certified appliances must meet both energy consumption and consumer expectations in regards to performance and attributes.

The requirements for the ENERGY STAR certification are different for different types of goods. In order to have the rating, household appliances must be a minimum percentage less energy intensive than the base model in their category.

However, not all ENERGY STAR rated appliances are the same when it comes to energy efficiency. I.e a freezer that uses 15% less energy and one that is 20% more efficient would get the symbol. Therefore although only looking at products with the symbol is a good place to start, it is still worth finding out the actual energy usage before picking the best one for you.

Is an Energy Conserving Appliance Right for You?

Electricity saving appliances really do make a impression at a local and international level, saving you money over time and better use of energy and resources.

If you are in the market for a new device read the EnergyGuide label. It indicates the cost of electricity an appliance uses and makes it more straight forward to decide between brands and designs.

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

Size makes a difference when it comes to home appliances. For example:

Paying for one big fridge is more efficient than having two small ones. Unless you only use the extra one during the holidays
When choosing a new washing machine think about the load size as running a lower capacity machine twice is less efficient than turning on a higher capacity machine for a single run.
Even the most efficient boiler will never reduce your bills if it’s two times the capacity you need for your home.

Household appliances use more energy as they get older so replace items that are past their best first and if you can, focus on the items that use the most energy.