Energy Efficient Appliances

The majority of appliances appear very similar externally but they can vary completely when it comes to energy efficiency and therefore operating expenditure.

In this article you can understand everything you need to know about energy efficient devices. Discover what energy energy conserving household appliances are, what makes them different, the benefits of choosing them and whether they are right for you and your home. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact Pierce Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Appliance?

Basically energy efficiency is making use of less energy to gain the same outcome. For example, replacing a filament light bulb with a more efficient LED bulb that produces the same level of light or insulating your home so you need less heating.

Energy efficiency is linked to but not the same as energy conservation which requires making use of less energy by changing the outcome. Eg choosing to walk when you might normally have used the car or only running the dishwasher when you have a full load.

Electricity efficient household appliances are made to offer equivalent results with lower energy requirements allowing you to save energy. Lower energy usage result in lower energy bills and fewer environmental impacts.

Many devices currently manufactured in the USA are ENERGY STAR certified, meaning they offer better energy efficiency compared to lower rated models, usually ranging from 10-50%. Most appliances display EnergyGuide labels which show how efficient they are compared to other similar household appliances.

These ratings can be a great first point of call when determining if a device is low energy or not.

Types of Energy Efficient Devices

Some examples of energy conserving devices include:

Fridge-Freezers
Air Conditioners
Boilers
Washing Machines
Dishwashers

How Electricity Efficient Appliances work

Electricity efficient appliances work by employing the best current techniques to minimize energy consumption. That might be better insulation in freezers, dirt sensors in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in tumble dryers to reduce drying time.

Advantages of Electricity Efficient Goods

Switching to low energy appliances is a good idea for many reasons:

Reducing energy. The more efficient a device is the less power it needs . Meaning you can see a sizable reduction in energy consumption without losing any productivity.
Saving money. Although energy-efficient appliances might have a more expensive ticket price they will inevitably save you money over time by reducing your electricity bills.
Environmental benefits. Most of the power we use in our daily lives comes from non-renewable resources and results in greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing our use of non-renewable resources also conserves them for future use in a more sustainable way.
Energy Security. With energy prices continually going up and natural resources continually depleting choosing energy-efficient appliances is a more sustainable option.

Do Energy Conserving Appliances Genuinely Cost Less?

Energy efficient appliances save you money by reducing your energy consumption and therefore your energy bills.

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

The older the appliance you are changing is the bigger the difference you are likely to see. In the same way the more energy the device needs to run the more significant the potential savings. For example replacing an old, wasteful, too big air conditioner with a replacement ENERGY STAR rated one that is the perfect size for your home, could make a marked difference whereas replacing your dishwasher with one that is merely 10% less energy intensive is likely to have a markedly smaller impact.

Reports suggest that if your fridge was built last century you could save up to $270 in five years, but if it was produced in within the last decade the money you save will be much less significant.

You also have to make certain you use your household appliances energy-efficient 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 household appliances factoring in both the ticket price and the running costs will make sure you make the prime decision for you.

How Electricity Efficient Appliances Help the Planet

Saving energy isn’t only about saving you money. Minimizing energy consumption also has an environmental impact.

Human actions have big impacts on the planet, one of the most prevalent of which is the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere through the use of non-renewable resources that are likely 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 responding with less wasteful solutions to our needs. Whether that is reusable water bottles or in this case low energy refrigerators.

What are ENERGY STAR rating Devices?

The ENERGY STAR certification was started in 1992 to provide an readily understandable way for consumers to decide upon more eco-friendly devices.

Rated appliances must meet both power consumption and consumer expectations in regards to performance and features.

The requirements for the ENERGY STAR rating vary between different appliances. In order to gain the star mark, household appliances are required to be at least a certain percentage less energy intensive than the base design in their category.

However, not all ENERGY STAR marked goods are the same in terms of efficiency. I.e a freezer that is 15% more efficient and one that uses 22% less energy might get the certification. So although looking out for the star is a good place to start, it is still worth finding out the actual energy savings before making your final choice.

Is an Energy Efficient Appliance Right for You?

Energy conserving devices really do make a difference at a local 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. This label indicates the cost of electricity an appliance gets through and makes it simpler to compare brands and models.

You’ll also want to check how much your energy costs you so you can make accurate comparisons.

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

Running one bigger fridge requires less energy than having two smaller ones. Unless you only use the second one at certain times of the year
When buying a replacement washing machine consider the size of the drum as running a space saving machine multiple times uses more energy than using a higher capacity machine for a single run.
Even the most efficient boiler will not reduce your bills if it’s two times the size you require for your home.

Household appliances get less efficient as they age so replace older items first and if you are able to, focus on the appliances that contribute most to your overall energy usage.