Recommended Energy-Friendly Appliances
Most household appliances are energy-hungry, consuming more energy than they require. As a result, using energy-efficient types of equipment is one of the simplest ways to reduce your power bill and thus your carbon footprint.
When purchasing a piece of equipment, look for the Energy Star label to guarantee that it is genuinely energy-saving. In fact, an Energy Star-certified product should be anywhere from 9% to 50% more energy efficient than the industry standard of efficiency.
Below are some of the best energy-friendly appliances.
Refrigerators
Whether you prefer to spend time in your kitchen or have someone do the cooking, an energy-efficient refrigerator can help make your kitchen a more environmentally friendly space. Older refrigerators can be costly energy hogs because of ineffective lighting and cooling systems. Substituting your old refrigerator could save you hundreds of dollars in electricity bills during its lifetime.
The new Energy Star-certified fridges come in numerous sizes with various features to suit your preference. Whatever fits your budget and kitchen, Energy Star-certified refrigerators are more efficient than those that only meet the minimum energy efficiency standards.
Ensure the Energy Star label is present when shopping for a refrigerator or any other appliance. The said blue label affirms that the equipment meets or exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s efficiency standards. Appliances bearing this label contribute high energy efficiency while still providing additional features that profit your home. The products may be slightly more expensive than less efficient ones, but electricity bill savings easily offset the additional cost.
Dishwashers
Dishwashers may appear to last forever, but if yours is 20 years and older, you’re wasting money on energy. New advanced Energy Star-certified dishwashers can save you up to $30 or more annually in utility costs. Like consuming extra electricity isn’t enough, dishwashers manufactured more than 20 years ago waste an average of 10 water gallons per cycle. You stand to waste more than 3,000 gallons of water a year if you do a load of dishes daily.
Besides saving you energy and water, Energy Star-certified dishwashers offer you advanced technology. You don’t have to pre-wash your dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. Simply get a new model equipped with soil sensors to determine how dirty the dishes are and they’ll adjust to the appropriate cleaning power. You also don’t have to deal with soap scum on your clean dishes if you get a dishwasher with advanced filtration; they’ll be sparkling.
Clothes Washers
Like dishwashers, clothes washers that apply outdated technology waste considerable amounts of water and energy. If yours is over a decade old, you are paying more than $100 on unnecessary energy and water.
You can save up to 25% less energy and 40% less water when using a washing machine with an Energy Star label compared to the standard ones. Translated annually, you stand to save about 3,000 water gallons and 40% in energy bills.
Besides saving you cash and water, energy-saving washing machines offer advanced features that allow you to wash a larger quantity at once. You’ll love this feature if you have to spare a whole day for laundry. You also get to enjoy other features like advanced cleaning power, different wash motions, and even sanitization.
Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are a lifesaver during summer. Despite not lowering the room temperatures, they give a wind-like chill effect that causes the room to feel cooler.
Though ceiling fans cannot completely replace air conditioning, they can reduce your need for power-intensive cooling. Using a ceiling fan allows you to decrease your thermostat by 4 degrees while remaining comfortable and cool.
Remember that with ceiling fans, you must install one for every room your family uses. The bigger the fan the better because larger fans with larger blades can move more air. Ensure you get Energy Star-certified units to get a 20% efficiency boost over standard units.
Heat Pumps
Heat pumps can cool and heat your residence in the winter and summer. They’re well-known for their ability to get rid of excess humidity in the air, making them better and more efficient to use than air conditioners. Heat pumps can reduce your electricity consumption during winter by up to 50% compared to furnaces and other traditional healing systems.
If you can’t decide whether to replace your old air conditioner, heat pump, or furnace, Brennan Electric provides advanced home evaluation and testing to assess the efficiency of your HVAC systems. Our skilled technicians assist you in determining what is working well and what needs improvement.
Smart Thermostats
Without a smart thermostat, even the most energy-efficient air conditioner, heat pump, or furnace will not help you manage your power consumption proficiently. These useful devices allow you to program your HVAC system so that it only cools or heats when needed.
Lowering your thermostat by 10 degrees for eight hours per day can save you up to 10% on your yearly cooling and heating costs. You could save a significant amount of energy and more than $100 annually by turning the device off when people go to sleep or when everyone is away during the day.
Whole-Home Dehumidifiers
Humidity is nothing new to homeowners, especially in the summer. You may not realize that excessive humidity is more than just unpleasant. It can also waste energy in your HVAC system. Heat pumps may also help with humidity, but we understand there are times when a more focused device is required.
A dehumidifier for the whole house works hand in hand with your HVAC system to remove excess humidity from the air while also improving overall system efficiency. Therefore, your home gets to a more comfortable temperature without requiring your cooling system to work overtime.
Air Purifiers
Keeping the indoor air clean is difficult due to factors such as dust, pet dander, and tobacco smoke. You don’t have to use energy-intensive air cleaners if your family suffers from asthma, allergies, or contaminated indoor air.
Consider installing a whole-house air purifier instead. A whole-home air purifier, like a dehumidifier, works with your HVAC system to eliminate pollutants from the air such as mold, pollen, dust mites, or even pathogens.
You can get air purifiers that remove up to 95% of pathogens from your home’s air supply, ensuring high indoor air quality while consuming little energy. These effective devices can even kill dangerous pathogens on contact, allowing you to stay healthy all year.
Some home appliances could be why your utility bills are always high. You can combat this by exploring energy-efficient appliances that are energy start-certified. If you’ve had an appliance for more than a decade, you might want to switch it up for a new model that’s more energy efficient.
While you’re at it, call our reliable electricians from Brennan Electric. We take pride in offering expert electrical services to homeowners in the Seattle area. Our customers appreciate the fact that they are getting highly trained and experienced electricians from a reputable and experienced company. We do lighting installation, electrical repair, installation of electrical panels, carbon monoxide detectors, surge protection, generators, and more. Having been in business since 1987, we have perfected the craft and are good at what we do. Check out our official website and contact us today to request service.
