Selecting the right home energy efficiency appliances in Melbourne is about more than reducing your power bills. You’ll also be taking a big step towards living an eco-friendlier lifestyle. Modern technological developments have made a wide range of options available, but it’s important to understand how to choose appliances that smoothly balance your personal needs with the latest energy efficiency standards in Australia. If you comply with these you could also get a rebate on the money you spend. So let’s take a more detailed look at what’s available and where you can save power in different parts of your household. You can read this along with our general guide on how to improve the energy efficiency of your home.
Understanding Energy Efficiency Ratings
When shopping for energy efficient appliances in Australia, the Energy Rating Label provides a good guide. This label states the energy efficiency of the appliance, usually on a scale of one to six stars. More efficient products are awarded more stars. And with the rapid development of eco-friendly technology, there’s even a “super-efficient” rating category that can reach up to 10 stars. This labelling is the result of the government’s initiative to highlight energy efficiency more visibly across the country.
The Energy Rating Label also shows you the expected annual energy consumption of the appliance in kilowatt-hours. This lets you compare the potential energy savings across different makes and models. By choosing energy efficient appliances with lower kWh power consumption figures and higher star ratings, you can noticeably reduce the amount of energy you use in your household and the consequent power bills.
How does the star rating work?
An appliance’s star rating is based on a comparison of its energy consumption vs other models that have similar features. For instance, a fridge with a 4-star rating will be less energy efficient than one with a 6-star rating – provided that they are both of have similar features and capacity. Here it’s important to understand that you can only use the star rating to compare appliance types with similar features and capacities. To wit, you can’t compare a small fridge to a large one, as the ratings are based on completely different specifications.
Energy Efficient Water Appliances
Heating water makes up a large part of your home energy consumption. Of all your appliances, your hot water systems require the most energy to produce the required results. Energy efficient water appliances are the first things to look for when you want to improve your home energy efficiency.
Instead of a using a traditional electric water heater, you can switch it out for a heat pump water heater. These use the surrounding air to heat the water, thus consuming much less power. You can also get fixtures and fitting that reduce your water usage, like tap aerators and low-flow showerheads. These won’t negatively affect performance, and will make a significant contribution to your overall home energy efficiency.
Other appliances like washing machines can also be replaced with lower-energy models. Front-loaders generally use less electricity and less water than top loaders, for example. The latest versions have advanced features like eco-wash cycles and load sensing to optimise energy usage. The same goes for modern dishwashers.
Energy Efficient Kitchen Appliances
Your kitchen is the next place find ways to optimise your household energy consumption. Research what cooking appliances are energy efficient and look for those with high star Rating Labels.
It’s always a good idea to replace a traditional oven with a force fan oven. The latter circulates hot air more evenly to cook food faster at lower temperatures, which can be a big energy saver. You can also get an induction cooktop, which provides direct heat more efficiently.
Modern fridges with inverter technology also offer better energy efficiency than standard fridges. These have the ability to adjust temperature levels (cooling power) based on your usage patterns. This allows them to optimise energy consumption – lowering usage at night when you’re sleeping and not opening their doors, for instance.
Energy Efficient Outdoor Appliances
With our outdoor lifestyles, we also need energy efficient appliances to use outside. The motivations are the same: reducing power bills and contributing to environmental sustainability. Here are some ideas:
- Cooking outdoors: if you enjoy camping or having a weekend barbie, you can get a gas barbecue. Or go for more modern innovations like ceramic flame tamers and infrared burners. Solar-powered barbecues have also become available – the ideal solution when it’s sunny.
- Outdoor fridges: it’s not hard to find bar fridges that are rated to operate outside. These use enhanced insulation and have energy-efficient compressors to provide low temperature storage without drawing significant amounts of power.
- Heaters: you can create warm outside spaces with heaters that provide improved energy efficiency. Infrared heaters are a good example. These consume less energy that other types of electric heaters, and even gas mpdels. They work by converting electricity directly into radiant heat with minimal energy (and thus heat) loss.
Government Rebates for Energy Efficient Appliances
There are a range of government rebate programmes in Melbourne and across Australia, to encourage people to use more energy efficient appliances. These are designed to reimburse a portion of the initial cost of buying them. Here in Melbourne, the Victorian Energy Upgrades programme offers discounts and rebates for installing appliances that improve home energy efficiency. It’s aimed at reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, while reducing household electricity bills. There are several eligible household appliances, including water heating systems and lighting installations.
Installing Home Energy Efficient Appliances in Melbourne
Installing many of these energy efficient appliances and systems requires a qualified electrician. You can simply plug in a new fridge, but you don’t want to attempt to install a hot water heater yourself. In fact, any appliance that needs to be integrated with home circuitry is best left to a certified professional. For any kind of appliance installation or lighting system alterations, contact STL Electrical. We’ll do all the work for you, and we’ll also advise you upfront on the best appliances to suit your individual household needs.
