Whilst there are a number of tricks you can employ to cut down on energy usage within your household, nowadays many appliances come as ready-made energy efficient products and are able to save you significant sums on your utility bills throughout the year. Here’s a little guide to some of the home appliances that will save you the most money.
Kitchen
Old-fashioned fridges and freezers weren’t built with energy efficiency in mind, with an average 1990 model consuming twice as much energy as a modern one. Yet with homeowners becoming more and more energy-conscious as utility bills rise, manufacturers have responded by producing new items with built-in features that can save a lot of money. Modern fridge freezers are able to adapt their interior temperature to ensure better food care and a lower energy consumption, whilst defrosting freezers is now a thing of the past for many people thanks to innovative frost free features which eliminate its build up on the interior of the freezer. These are specific features limited to certain lines of fridge freezers, but for a more general idea the EU energy label found on your model indicates its overall energy efficiency rating. It will be rated from A+++, the most efficient, all the way down to G, which is the least efficient.
Bathroom
Did you know that simply changing your shower head to an energy efficient one could save you almost £200 a year on your water and gas bills? They work by reducing the amount of water that needs to pass through your water heater, and can be picked up for less than £20. Another similar way to cut down on your water use is to install flow tap aerators, which reduce the flow of your tap to cut down your water consumption by up to 50%. Again, they’re relatively inexpensive to purchase and can be picked up at most hardware shops for less than £10. And as in the kitchen, it’s worth consulting the EU energy label on the appliances in your bathroom to see how they rate for energy efficiency. Consider replacing those that aren’t at the top end of the scale.
Lounge
Typically, kitchen and bathroom appliances eat up a large proportion of your household bills, but there are extra savings to be had all around the house. Constantly leaving your TV on standby is one of the most common things that can inflate your energy bills, so it’s a good idea to invest in an energy efficient television if you’re serious about cutting down on your energy use. Generally speaking, LED TVs use less energy than LCDs and plasma screens, whilst smaller sets naturally require less power to run. But as with most modern appliances, that trusty EU energy label does the hard work for you in identifying the products that consume the least power.
Savvy retailers will nowadays market their most energy efficient products to the consumer, and there are real savings to be had for those who decide to update their home appliances with energy saving equivalents. Choose wisely!
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