Household appliances that we use everyday can suck an excessive amount of energy and money from our home. The refrigerator, washer & dryer, boiler, dishwasher and heater could be costing you more money than they should. If you’re looking to buy a new appliance, take care to choose one that can save you money in the long run. With all appliances, you should look for EU Energy label and the Energy Efficiency Recommended logo to ensure that you’re buying an efficient appliance.

1. Refrigerators & Freezers

The refrigerator is usually the most energy hungry appliance in home. Fridges come in all shapes and sizes, but for the most part there are three major styles: bottom mount refrigerator, top mount refrigerator and side by side models. Bottom mount refrigerators are a refrigerator/freezer combination with the freezer on the top and a one door refrigerator on the bottom. This model is the most energy efficient model and usually the cheapest, in general. The second model, the top mount refrigerator is a combination where the freezer sits at the bottom and a two door refrigerator sits atop. This is a newer model and is extremely popular at the moment because of it’s capacity but is also the most energy inefficient and expensive. And the last model is the side by side model in which the freezer takes up the left half of the appliance and the refrigerator takes the right. These models reside between bottom and top mount refrigerators in terms of energy efficiency.

If you’re looking for overall savings, bottom mount refrigerators are your best bet. They’re most eco friendly and they’re the kindest to your wallet as well. Every year you can save an average of £45 a year and you can help prevent climate change as well. Make sure you buy an energy efficient refrigerator to fit your needs–don’t get one too big for you. A full fridge tends to use less energy since the food absorbs the cold and helps retain the temperature in the fridge. If you buy a fridge too large for your needs, it’ll eat more energy and more money–so keep your fridge filled. Checking the energy rating on the fridge before purchasing is an easy way to find out if that refrigerator is good for you and the environment.

2.Washing & Drying Machines

Like a refrigerator, watch for the European Community Energy Label and check the energy rating before buying. They typically rate appliances A though G, with A being the most energy efficient and G being the least. And again, like refrigerators, there are different models that affect efficiency. Top loading washers and dryers are less efficient than side-loading washer and dryers. In addition, there are some tips that’ll also help improve energy efficiency even if you aren’t planning on buying an energy efficient washing or drying machine. Wash clothes cold, unless you’re washing linens or heavily soiled clothes. 90% of the energy used in washers are just to warm the water, so washing cold more often should cut your energy bill down. In addition, only wash when you have a full load.

Dryers are substantially more energy hungry than washers, so before purchasing one, make sure you need one. If you find that you can get by without one, that would be the most energy and cost efficient option. But one in three UK households own one, and if you’re in the market for one, make sure it’s an efficiency dryer as well. Again, check the rating and buy one with an A rating and also make sure that it has an Energy Saving Recommended logo stamped on.

3. Boilers

You could save an estimated £235 a year just by switching from an old G rated boiler to an A rated, energy saving boiler. A typical boiler lasts up to 15 years, so in that time you could be saving up to £3525. It practically pays for itself in savings. To save more money, make sure that you’re house is properly insulated and sealed from the cold. Are there any cracks in your windows or under doors? Replacing windows can save you a load of money in the long run as well. Plug up any cracks or drafts that could be letting any cold air in, and you’ll not have to heat your home as much as you currently are.

4. Dishwashers

A dishwasher with an Energy Efficiency Recommended logo saves 20% more energy and water than one without one. Finding an energy saving dishwasher is effectively killing two birds with one stone–on the one hand, you’ll be saving money on your energy bill and on the other, you’ll be saving money on your water bill. It is for that reason that an energy saving dishwasher is especially desirable. Like washers and dryers, make sure the dishwasher is completely full before running a load. And when it’s finished doing it’s job, make sure not to leave it on standby. Leaving appliances on standby when they are no longer in use eats a lot more energy than you expect, so make sure to turn off your dishwasher completely after you’ve finished washing the dishes.

5. Heaters

If you don’t have centralised heating and are looking for a small heater to heat up a room, you’ll notice that keeping warm costs a lot of money. There are ways to stay warm and still have some money in your pocket however, and that is to buy an energy efficient heater. Electric storage heaters are your best bet and are typically less energy hungry than fan heaters and radiators. When buying an electric heater, make sure it has key features–these features are crucial to it being energy efficient. First of all, make sure it comes with thermostatic controls and that it measures the temperature in the room as it heats up. Measuring the temperature while it heats allows the heater to know when the room has reached the desired temperature and it’ll automatically go into standby mode. As soon as the temperature dips below the desired temperature, it’ll fire up again. Also make sure that the heater comes with a timer, that way you can set it and not have to worry about it accidentally running throughout the night and inadvertently pile up a huge electric bill at the end of the month.

Did you know?

Appliances with an Energy Efficiency Recommended logo and an EU Energy Rating of A can save you hundreds of pounds a year and can help stop climate change.

-Miljean

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