Energy Efficient Appliances

Many devices appear very comparable externally but they can vary dramatically when it comes to energy economy and consequently running expenditure.

Here you can learn everything you need to know about electricity saving appliances. Learn more about what energy energy conserving devices are, what makes them different, the advantages of paying that little bit extra and when you should make the change. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact B&G Round Rock Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Household Appliance?

In simple terms energy efficiency is employing reduced energy to provide the same function. For example, replacing an incandescent light bulb with a more efficient fluorescent bulb that produces the same illumination or insulating your walls 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 changing the outcome. For example, opting to cycle when you might normally have used the car or just running the washing machine when you have a full load.

Low energy household appliances are designed to provide equivalent outcomes with lower energy requirements allowing you to save money. Less electricity requirements result in lower energy bills and less environmental impact.

Many household appliances for sale in the United States are ENERGY STAR rated, meaning they offer use less energy than lower efficiency models, typically ranging from 10-50%. Most appliances have EnergyGuide labels which display how efficient they are in comparison to other equal capacity household appliances.

These simple labels can be a good place to start when deciding if an appliance is energy efficient or not.

Types of Energy Efficient Appliances

Some different types of electricity efficient appliances include:

  • Refrigerators
  • Air Conditioners
  • Water Heaters
  • Washers
  • Dishwashers

How Electricity Efficient Household Appliances work

Energy conserving household appliances work by taking advantage of the most up to date technology to ensure they waste as little energy as possible. That might be superior insulation in fridges, dirt sensors in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in clothes dryers to minimize drying time.

Reasons to Switch to Energy Conserving Devices

Using electricity efficient devices is a good idea for multiple reasons:

  1. Reducing energy. The less energy intensive an appliance is the less power it needs to undertake its task. Meaning you can experience a noticeable saving in energy without having to change your habits.
  2. Saving money. Although lower energy household appliances may have a bigger initial cost they will generally save you money over time by reducing your utility bills.
  3. Environmental benefits. Most of the power we need for our daily lives comes from oil and gas and results in Carbon Dioxide and other gases being released into the atmosphere. Reducing our abuse of non-renewable resources also preserves them for future generations.
  4. Energy Security. With energy costs continually going up and natural resources constantly being used up choosing more efficient household appliances will allow our demands to be met for longer.

Do Energy Conserving Household Appliances Actually Reduce Bills?

Energy efficient devices save you money by reducing your energy consumption and by association your electricity bills.

The amount you save and whether or not you enjoy a noticeable difference in your monthly bills will depend on the difference between the existing and new appliances, the amount they get used and how long the product lasts.

The older the appliance you are replacing is the more significant the difference you are likely to see. Likewise the more energy it needs to run the more significant the possible savings. For example replacing an worn out, inefficient, overcapacity air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR rated one that is the perfect size for your home, will make a noticeable difference whereas upgrading your dishwasher with one that is just 10% more efficient will have a much smaller impact.

Research suggests that if your fridge was produced over 20 years ago you could save up to $270 in five years, but 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 efficiency settings to get the most significant savings. For example, manual defrost is more energy-efficient than auto defrost, but only if you remember to keep defrosting.

When contrasting new household appliances factoring in both the ticket price and the usage costs will ensure you make the best choice for you.

How Energy Conserving Appliances Help the Planet

Saving energy isn’t all about saving you money. Reducing energy usage also has an environmental impact.

The things we do have big effects on the environment, one of the most pressing of which is the release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere through the burning of non-renewable resources that appear to be correlated to air quality decline and climate change.

As the general population become more aware of the environmental effect of our daily actions the market is responding with more environmentally friendly solutions to our problems. Whether that is electric cars or in this case low energy air conditioners.

What are ENERGY STAR rated Household Appliances?

The ENERGY STAR certification was formed in 1992 to allow for an quickly detectable way for consumers to opt-for more eco-friendly household appliances.

Rated products must meet both power efficiency and consumer expectations in regards to quality and attributes.

The requirements for the ENERGY STAR certification change according to the device being tested. In order to have the rating, devices are required to be at least a certain percentage more efficient than the standard model in their category.

However, not all ENERGY STAR rated appliances are equal in terms of efficiency. I.e a washing machine that uses 12% less energy and one that uses 22% less energy could get the rating. Therefore although only looking at products with the rating is a great starting point, it is still worth checking the actual energy usage before picking the best one for you.

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

Low energy devices really do make a impact at a local and international level, reducing your bills and conserving both energy and resources.

If you are in the market for a new device have a look at the EnergyGuide label. It tells you the amount of energy an appliance needs and makes it more straight forward to compare makes and designs.

You might also want to know how much you spend on your energy so you can make better comparisons.

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

  • Running one large fridge is more efficient than having two smaller ones. Unless you only turn on the extra one at certain times of the year
  • When buying a new washing machine consider the amount of washing you tend to do as running a space saving machine two times will cost more than running a bigger machine for a single run.
  • Even the best water heater will not reduce your bills if it’s two times the capacity you should be using for your home.

Devices use more energy as they get older so replace over 10 years old first and if you are able to, focus on the ones that contribute most to your overall energy usage.

Additional Types of Appliances

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