The majority of devices appear very similar from the outside but they can vary completely when it comes to energy efficiency and consequently running costs.
In this article you will learn everything you need to know about energy efficient appliances. Discover what energy electricity saving 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 A+ Aurora Appliance Repair.
Put simply energy efficiency is employing decreased energy to perform the same function. For example, replacing an incandescent light bulb with a more efficient fluorescent bulb that produces the same amount of light or insulating your home so you need to turn the heating on less often.
Energy efficiency is related to but distinct from energy conservation which involves using less energy by changing the outcome. For example, choosing to cycle when you might normally have used the car or just running the dishwasher when you have a full load.
Energy efficient appliances are made to offer the same outcomes in a more efficient way allowing you to save money. Lower energy requirements result in lower energy bills and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Many household appliances for sale in the USA are ENERGY STAR marked, meaning they offer better energy efficiency compared to base models, normally ranging from 10-50%. Most appliances will also have EnergyGuide labels which advertise how economical they are in comparison to other equal capacity household appliances.
These simple labels can be a good first point of call when deciding if an appliance is low energy or not.
Some different types of electricity saving appliances include:
Low energy appliances work by taking advantage of the best current technology to ensure they waste as little power as possible. That might be superior insulation in freezers, dirt sensors in dishwashers, or moisture sensors in tumble dryers to minimize drying time.
Switching to energy efficient household appliances is a good idea for multiple reasons:
Low energy household appliances save you money by reducing your energy usage and by association your electricity bills.
The amount you save and whether or not you see a noticeable difference in your monthly bills will depend on the relative efficiency of the previous and new devices, the intensity of use and the lifespan of the product.
The older the device you are upgrading is the more significant the difference you are likely to see. In the same way the more energy the appliance requires to run the more significant the potential savings. I.e replacing an worn out, inefficient, too big air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR rated one that is the exact size for your space, could make a noticeable impact whereas uprating your fridge with one that is only 10% more efficient is likely to have a much less noticeable impact.
Reports suggest that if your fridge was produced in the 1990’s you could gain up to $270 in five years, but if it was produced in within the last decade the financial rewards will be much less.
You also have to make sure you understand your devices energy-efficient functions to get the best reductions. For example, manual defrost is more energy-efficient than auto defrost, but only if you remember to keep defrosting.
When comparing new devices factoring in both the purchase price and the running costs will make sure you make the prime choice for you.
Saving energy isn’t only about cutting costs. Minimizing energy requirements also has an environmental impact.
Human actions have irreversible impacts on the natural world, one of the most obvious of which is the release of greenhouse gasses into the air through the consumption of non-renewable resources that appear to be 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 less wasteful solutions to our needs. Whether that is electric cars or in this case low energy washing machines.
The ENERGY STAR mark was formed in 1992 to provide an easily recognizable way for consumers to choose more sustainable devices.
Rated products must meet both power efficiency and consumer requirements in regards to quality and attributes.
The conditions for the ENERGY STAR rating vary between different appliances. In order to have the ENERGY STAR, appliances must be a minimum percentage more efficient than the standard product in their class.
This means, not all ENERGY STAR certified products are the same when it comes to energy efficiency. For example a freezer that uses 10% less energy and one that is 22% more efficient could get the rating. Thus although making sure you see the rating is a simple place to start, it is still worth checking the actual energy usage before making your final choice.
Energy efficient devices really do make a impression at an individual and international level, meaning more money in your pocket and conserving both energy and resources.
When you are in the market for a new device check the EnergyGuide label. This label shows the cost of electricity an appliance uses and makes it more straight forward to decide between makes and designs.
You might also want to make a note of how much your electricity costs you so you can make more personalized comparisons.
Size makes a difference when it comes to appliances. For example:
Devices reduce in efficiency as they get older so replace items that are past their best first and if you have the funds available, focus on the items that use the most energy.
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