Energy Efficient Appliances

The majority of appliances appear very similar from the outside but they can vary significantly when it comes to energy economy and therefore operating costs.

Here you can understand everything you need to know about energy efficient devices. Discover what energy electricity saving appliances are, how they work, the advantages of paying that little bit extra and whether they are right for you and your home. For questions concerning energy-efficient appliances and other home appliances, contact Hawk Appliance Repair.

What is an Energy Efficient Home Appliance?

Put simply energy efficiency is using reduced energy to gain the same outcome. For example, replacing an incandescent bulb with a lower energy fluorescent bulb that produces the same brightness or insulating your walls so you need less heating.

Energy efficiency is similar to but distinct from energy conservation which requires employing less energy by adjusting behaviours or habits. Eg choosing to walk when you might normally have used the car or only using the dishwasher when you have a full load.

Energy efficient devices are engineered to give the same results using less energy allowing you to save energy. Less power requirements result in lower electricity bills and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Many devices for sale in the USA are ENERGY STAR rated, meaning they offer better energy efficiency compared to standard models, typically ranging from 10-50%. Most appliances display EnergyGuide labels which show how efficient they are compared to other comparable devices.

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

Types of Energy Conserving Devices

Some examples of low energy devices include:

Refrigerators
Dehumidifiers
Water Heaters
Washing Machines
Tumble Dryers

How Electricity Saving Household Appliances work

Electricity saving household appliances work by applying the latest technology to minimize electricity consumption. That might look like superior insulation in fridges, dirt sensors in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in dryers to limit drying time.

Reasons to Choose Electricity Efficient Devices

Switching to energy efficient devices makes sense for a number of reasons:

Reducing energy. The more energy-efficient a device is the less energy it needs to complete its purpose. Meaning you can experience a big saving in energy without losing any productivity.
Saving money. Although more efficient devices are likely to have a more expensive up-front cost they will generally save you money in the long run by cutting your energy bills.
Environmental benefits. Most of the power we need for our homes comes from fossil fuels and results in the emission of greenhouse gases. Reducing our wastefulness of non-renewable resources also conserves them for future generations.
Resource Security. With energy prices constantly rising and natural resources constantly depleting choosing less energy intensive appliances is a more sustainable option.

Do Energy Efficient Devices Really Reduce Bills?

Electricity efficient appliances save you money by reducing your power usage and in turn your electricity bills.

The amount you save and whether or not you enjoy a noticeable reduction in your annual bills will depend on the difference between the previous and new household appliances, how much you use them and how long the product lasts.

The older the good you are changing is the more significant the difference you are likely to see. Similarly the more energy the device uses to run the bigger the likely savings. I.e substituting an old, inefficient, too big air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR marked one that is the exact size for your home, will make a notable difference whereas replacing your fridge with one that is merely 10% more efficient is likely to have a significantly smaller impact.

Research suggests that if your fridge was built last century you could gain up to $270 in five years, but if it was made in within the last decade the savings will be much less.

You also have to make certain you make use of your appliances energy saving functions 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 comparing new devices factoring in both the ticket price and the usage costs will make sure you make the prime choice for you.

How Low Energy Devices Help the Environment

Energy efficiency isn’t all about cutting costs. Reducing energy usage also has a sustainability impact.

The things we do have big effects on the natural world, one of the most pressing of which is the release of greenhouse gasses into the environment through the burning of non-renewable resources that have been correlated to air pollution and climate change.

As more and more of us are becoming aware of the environmental cost of our daily choices the market is replying with less wasteful solutions to our requirements. Whether that is reusable coffee cups or in this case low energy dehumidifiers.

What are ENERGY STAR marked Appliances?

The ENERGY STAR rating was formed in 1992 to provide an readily detectable way for consumers to choose more efficient devices.

Rated products must meet both power performance and consumer needs in regards to fulfillment and attributes.

The qualifications for the ENERGY STAR rating are different for different types of goods. In order to have the star mark, appliances are required to be at least a certain percentage more efficient than the base model in their class.

This means, not all ENERGY STAR rated appliances are the same in terms of efficiency. I.e a fridge that is 12% more efficient and one that is 18% more efficient could get the symbol. Thus although making sure you see the rating is a good first step, it is still worth checking the actual figures before picking the best one for you.

Is an Electricity Saving Appliance the Best Choice for Your Home?

Energy efficient appliances really do make a difference on an individual and international level, meaning more money in your pocket and conserving both energy and resources.

When you are looking for a new appliance check the EnergyGuide label. It indicates the cost of energy an appliance needs and makes it simpler to decide between brands and designs.

You’ll also want to know how much your energy costs you so you can make more personalized comparisons.

Size matters when it comes to appliances. For example:

Having one large fridge is more efficient than having two small ones. Unless you only turn on the extra one occasionally
When choosing a new washing machine think about the load size as running a space saving machine multiple times uses more energy than running a bigger machine for a single run.
Even the best boiler will not save you money if it’s four times the size you need for your home.

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