Energy Efficient Appliances

Many appliances appear very comparable from the outside but they can vary dramatically when it comes to energy economy and consequently operating costs.

Here you will understand all you need to know about low energy household appliances. Discover what energy energy conserving household appliances are, how they work, the advantages of choosing them and when you should make the change. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact Cain Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Appliance?

Basically energy efficiency is making use of less energy to give the same results. This could mean, replacing an incandescent bulb with a more efficient LED bulb that produces the same amount of light or insulating your roof 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 changing the outcome. For example, choosing to walk when you might normally have used the car or just putting on the washing machine when you have a full load.

Electricity efficient appliances are engineered to give equivalent results with lower energy requirements allowing you to save energy. Less electricity usage result in lower electricity bills and less use of fossil fuels.

Many household appliances currently manufactured in the United States are ENERGY STAR marked, meaning they offer superior energy efficiency compared to standard models, usually ranging from 10-50%. Most household appliances also have EnergyGuide labels which show how efficient they are when looked at next to other similar household appliances.

These simple labels can be a good starting point when deciding if an appliance is electricity saving or not.

Types of Low Energy Household Appliances

Some different types of energy conserving devices include:

Refrigerators
Air Conditioners
Water Heaters
Washing Machines
Tumble Dryers

How Electricity Saving Devices work

Low energy household appliances work by employing the latest technology to ensure they use as little power as they can. That might mean superior insulation in freezers, dirt sensors in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in clothes dryers to minimize drying time.

Reasons to Switch to Energy Efficient Appliances

Choosing low energy appliances is a good idea for multiple reasons:

Saving energy. The more efficient a device is the less resources it uses . Meaning you can see a dramatic saving in energy without losing any productivity.
Reducing cost. Although energy-efficient devices are likely to have a more expensive ticket price they will usually save you money over time by reducing your utility bills.
Environmental benefits. 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. Lessening our wastefulness of non-renewable resources also conserves them for future use in a more sustainable way.
Resource Security. With fuel prices consistently going up and natural resources continually being used up choosing more efficient household appliances is a more sustainable option.

Do Electricity Saving Devices Actually Save Money?

Electricity efficient appliances save you money by reducing your energy usage and therefore your utility bills.

The amount you save and whether or not you enjoy a noticeable reduction in your monthly bills will depend on the difference between the existing and replacement appliances, the degree of use and the lifespan of the product.

The older the good you are changing is the more you are likely to save. Likewise the more energy the device uses to run the bigger the potential savings. For example replacing an old, inefficient, overcapacity air conditioner with a replacement ENERGY STAR accredited one that is the correct size for your space, will make a marked impact whereas replacing your dishwasher with one that is merely 10% more efficient is likely to have a significantly smaller impact.

Studies suggest that if your fridge was made in the 1990’s you could save 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 ensure you make use of your devices energy saving functions 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 comparing new appliances factoring in both the ticket price and the usage costs will help you make the best choice for you.

How Energy Efficient Appliances Help the Environment

Saving energy isn’t just about reducing your bills. Reducing energy consumption also has a sustainability impact.

The things we do have irreversible effects on the planet, one of the most obvious of which is the release of greenhouse gasses into the environment through the burning of oil and gas that have been responsible for air quality decline and global warming.

As the general population become more aware of the environmental effect of our daily decisions the market is reacting with more eco-friendly solutions to our problems. Whether that is electric cars or in this case low energy dehumidifiers.

What are ENERGY STAR marked Appliances?

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

Rated products must meet both energy performance and consumer expectations in regards to performance and attributes.

The conditions for the ENERGY STAR mark vary between different appliances. In order to gain the rating, appliances must be at least a certain percentage less energy intensive than the base model in their class.

However, not all ENERGY STAR rated goods are the same when it comes to energy efficiency. I.e a washing machine that uses 10% less energy and one that is 20% more efficient might get the rating. So although making sure you see 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 Low Energy Appliance Right for Your Home?

Electricity saving appliances really do make a difference at an individual and global level, meaning more money in your pocket and conserving both energy and resources.

Next time you are looking for a new appliance read the EnergyGuide label. This label shows the cost of electricity an appliance needs and makes it more straight forward to decide between makes and designs.

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

Size matters when it comes to appliances. For example:

Running one big fridge is more efficient than having two small ones. Unless you only need the extra one occasionally
When purchasing a replacement washing machine consider the load size as running a lower capacity machine multiple times is less efficient than running a higher capacity machine once.
Even the lowest energy water heater will be unable to reduce your bills if it’s two times the size you need for your home.

Household appliances reduce in efficiency as they get older so replace over 10 years old first and if you have the funds available, focus on the items that use the most energy.