Energy Efficient Appliances

The majority of household appliances appear very comparable on the face of it but they can vary significantly when it comes to energy economy and consequently operating expenditure.

Here you will discover all you need to know about energy conserving devices. Learn more about what energy electricity saving devices are, how they work, the benefits of using them and whether they are right for you and your home. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact A&L Tempe 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 illumination 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 involves making use of less energy by adjusting behaviours or habits. For example, opting to walk when you might normally have used the car or only using the dishwasher when you have a full load.

Electricity efficient devices are made to offer the same outcomes in a more efficient way allowing you to save money. Lower power requirements result in lower electricity bills and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Many household appliances for sale in the USA are ENERGY STAR marked, meaning they offer use less electricity than base models, typically ranging from 10-50%. Most appliances display EnergyGuide labels which demonstrate how economical they are compared to other comparable household appliances.

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

Types of Low Energy Appliances

Some different types of electricity saving household appliances include:

Fridges
Air Conditioners
Water Heaters
Washers
Tumble Dryers

How Low Energy Household Appliances work

Electricity efficient devices work by employing the best current techniques to make sure they waste as little power as they can. That might look like more advanced insulation in freezers, dirt sensors in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in tumble dryers to minimize drying time.

Reasons to Switch to Energy Efficient Appliances

Choosing low energy household appliances makes sense for many reasons:

Reducing energy. The more efficient an appliance is the less power it needs . Meaning you can see a big reduction in energy consumption without having to change your habits.
Saving money. Although lower energy household appliances might have a more expensive up-front cost they will inevitably save you money in the long run by cutting your energy bills.
Environmental benefits. Most of the energy we need for our daily lives comes from non-renewable resources and results in Carbon Dioxide and other gases being released into the atmosphere. Lessening our exploitation of natural resources also conserves them for future generations.
Energy Security. With energy costs continually increasing and natural resources continually being used up choosing more efficient appliances is a more sustainable option.

Do Energy Efficient Household Appliances Actually Save Money?

Energy conserving appliances save you money by reducing your electricity usage and in turn your utility bills.

The amount you save and whether or not you notice a substantial reduction in your monthly bills will depend on the relative efficiency of the existing and replacement household appliances, the degree of use and how long the product lasts.

The older the good you are changing is the more you are likely to save. In the same way the more energy the device requires to run the bigger the potential savings. For example replacing an broken, wasteful, oversized air conditioning unit with a replacement ENERGY STAR marked one that is the exact size for your home, will make a notable difference whereas uprating your fridge with one that is merely 10% less energy intensive is likely to have a markedly smaller impact.

Studies suggest that if your fridge was produced 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 less significant.

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

When contrasting new devices factoring in both the ticket price and the ongoing costs will make sure you make the top choice for you.

How Electricity Saving Devices Help the Environment

Saving energy isn’t just about cutting costs. Minimizing energy consumption also has a sustainability impact.

Human actions have big impacts on the environment, one of the most obvious of which is the release of carbon dioxide into the air through the burning of non-renewable resources that appear to be responsible for air quality decline and climate change.

As more and more of us are becoming aware of the environmental effect of our daily decisions the market is reacting with less wasteful solutions to our problems. Whether that is reusable straws or in this case low energy washing machines.

What are ENERGY STAR marked Appliances?

The ENERGY STAR mark was created in 1992 to allow for an quickly detectable way for consumers to opt-for more efficient appliances.

Certified products must meet both energy consumption and consumer needs in regards to fulfillment and attributes.

The requirements for the ENERGY STAR rating are different for different types of goods. In order to be awarded the ENERGY STAR, household appliances must be at least a certain percentage less energy intensive than the standard design in their class.

This means, not all ENERGY STAR certified goods are the same when it comes to energy efficiency. I.e a fridge that uses 15% less energy and one that is 22% more efficient would get the certification. Therefore although only looking at products with the star is a good first step, it is still worth finding out the actual energy usage before making your final choice.

Is an Energy Efficient Appliance the Best Choice for Your Home?

Electricity saving household appliances really do make a impact at a local and national level, meaning more money in your pocket and better use of energy and resources.

If you are looking for a new device read the EnergyGuide label. This shows the cost of electricity an appliance needs and makes it simpler to compare brands and designs.

You’ll also want to know how much you spend on your energy so you can make accurate comparisons.

Size matters when it comes to home appliances. For example:

Running one large fridge requires less energy than paying for two little ones. Unless you only turn on the second one during the holidays
When buying a new washing machine consider the load size as running a lower capacity machine two times is less efficient than running a bigger machine once.
Even the lowest energy boiler will never save you money if it’s four times the size you should be using for your home.

Household appliances reduce in efficiency as they age so replace over 10 years old first and if you can, focus on the appliances that contribute most to your overall energy usage.