Energy efficient home appliances

Click here to see our selection of energy efficient home appliances.

One of the most effective ways to save money in the home is to look into purchasing energy efficient home appliances. One of the appliances that tends to use the most energy in the home is the furnace. Beginning your home energy revolution with the furnace may not be a bad idea.

Before any energy efficient home appliances, like furnaces, are purchased, it is important to understand what it is about these specific appliances that make them work better than traditional appliances.

The efficiency of furnaces is measured by the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). This measure is able to gauge the seasonal performance of the furnace. Most of the new furnaces that are currently being manufactured fall between 78 percent and 96 percent AFUE.

Those furnaces that have an AFUE measurement above 90 percent are considered to be "condensing." This means that it is able to recapture some of the heat that other furnaces waste. It does this by condensing and reusing the escaping water vapor. Those furnaces that have at least a 90 percent AFUE should definitely be considered energy efficient home appliances.

These furnaces are especially effective in colder climates. Those who live in warmer climates may save more money by retrofitting their systems with a heat pump instead.
A new furnace is one of those energy efficient home appliances that should be able to cut down on the amount of electricity used. Most of the electricity used by a furnace is used to power the fan motor. If efficiency is important to you, perhaps it would be best to look into buying a furnace with a variable speed fan motor. By doing something as simple as choosing a variable speed fan instead of a standard fan motor, you may be able to save yourself hundreds of dollars each year.

The sizing of energy efficient home appliances is also very important to those who are trying to maximize efficiency. There are many furnaces that simply have a heating capacity that is too high for a particular home. By working closely with the contractor installing the furnace, you can make sure the equipment being installed in your home is the right size and can be considered one of the best energy efficient home appliances for you.

Of course, a lot can be said for the simple maintenance of furnaces in making them energy efficient home appliances. Doing something as simple as checking the cleanliness (or lack thereof) of your filter can help it run more efficiently and save you more money. If there is just a little debris, cleaning the unit may not be a bad idea. If there is a lot of debris or if it has been a few months since you last changed the filter, changing it may be more efficient.

It also is wise to reset the temperature while you are away. If your home is empty for several hours a day during the daylight hours, you may be able to set the temperature for a lower setting than you now have it at. Doing this will save you money on your utility bill. For maximum efficiency in the winter it is recommended to set the heater to around 60 degrees.

A furnace is one of the energy efficient home appliances that makes the most sense to invest in and can save you the most money if correctly utilized.