NW_APPLIANCES CYM

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At the same time as we are using less energy to heat our home, due to improvements we have made through insulation and modern heating systems and higher standards to newly built houses, we are rapidly increasing the amount of electrical energy we use to power a greater number and variety of appliances. There seems to be no sign that this trend will end. If we are to continue to use an ever increasing range of gadgets in a way that is affordable to ourselves and the global environment we will have to become much better informed about what we buy and how we use it.

Working out the costs of using electrical appliances is simple in principal. For devices which use energy continuously, kettles, light bulbs, vacuum cleaners, there is no problems. However for most appliances things are not that simple. Most heating devices, which need the most energy, switch on and off as they are thermostated to maintain the temperature. Radios and hi-fi?s, and to a lesser extent TV?s, vary greatly as sound levels vary. On top of this many new pieces of equipment use considerable amounts of energy when in standby mode, or even when switched off.

For simple appliances here's how you work out the cost

1.      Convert the power of the appliance into kilowatts (kW) by dividing the Wattage by 1000.

2.      Calculate the time used into hours.

3.      Multiply the power in kW by the time used in hours. This will give the energy used in Units (kW-h).

4.      Multiply this by the cost of a Unit of electricity. 10p per unit is a reasonable price to give a fair estimate.

A 3,000 Watt (3kW) kettle used for 45 minutes (0.75 hours) a day would cost

                        3 x 0.75 x 10 = 22.5 pence a day

To find the running costs of a whole range of household equipment see the running costs information sheet.

Low energy lighting For more about low energy lighting, see Energy Saving Lighting.

Energy Efficiency Ratings are now displayed on an increasing number of appliances. They start at G (poor) and run to A (good). When the scheme started appliances were C/D. Now most are available with A/B ratings. This represents an improvement  of between 50% and 100%. But don?t just throw away your current equipment. The savings are not large enough to make this pay and remember it took energy to make your fridge and washing machine, so throwing it out while it still works is the same as throwing away energy.

One of the advantages of the energy efficiency labels is that they provide more information than simply the ratings. They will give an indication of the running cost, or Units used, plus such things as how much water a washing machine uses. (For more information on saving energy from washing see also hot water savings)

When an appliance breaks down it is worth considering replacement rather than repair. When buying new look for the most energy efficient. They need not cost more and any small extra paid will soon be recovered in savings. Some of the more expensive, more fashionable appliances are actually less efficient.

For more information about using washing machines most efficiently, see also hot water savings.

Cooking is a confusing areas for energy saving advice and most of the information available is completely misleading, making assumptions that are just plain wrong. They usually compare microwaves to using ovens and rings assuming they consume the maximum power all the time, without allowing for turning down rings or the thermostats on ovens.

When account is taken for the real energy used, based on actual measurements during cooking, the savings made by using microwaves are quite small. The picture is made more confusing because microwaves are largely used reheating precooked food. The process of cooking uses far more energy than simply reheating. If the cooking is done with gas rather than electricity, then the microwave will work out as a lot more expensive way to cook.

For more ideas about cooking in an efficient way see hot water savings (since cooking is actually all about heating water in food.) New aluminium/stainless steel laminate saucepans are really energy saving. (These have a thick aluminium layer inside the base but poorly heat conducting stainless steel sides.) It is practically impossible to turn the heat down low enough to simmer gently. The casseroles are great but don?t put layered recipes into the oven because all the heat comes through the base, causing the layers to mix.

Electronic equipment provides the most confusing picture of all. The commonly held view is that TV sets waste large amounts of energy when in standby mode and mobile phone chargers similarly waste energy when left plugged in but not charging. The real situation is nowhere near as simple as this and takes no account of the improvements made by manufacturers. The only way to discover the true position has been to make extensive measurements in homes, offices and, for new models, in stores (thanks Comet store, Wrexham).

For the results of these measurements see the appliances latest sheet.

The picture that emerges is that modern TV sets, especially larger models, use little energy in standby and none if switched off at the front but older sets use much more energy and continue to do so when switched off. New LCD flat screens use more energy in use and on standby and still do when they appear to be completely off. Some modern mobile phone chargers use practically no energy when not charging but others do not. (If the charger gets warm it?s a good indication that its wasting energy.)

What is more alarming many of the other items around the home use far more energy than TV?s. Most of these continue to use energy when switched off. Computers, computer monitors and radios, CD players and hi-fi?s seem especially poor in this respect but other smaller energy wasting gadgets can also add up. For a couple with a modest set of the ?most essential? entertainment gear this adds to over £80 spent each year to do nothing of any value. With a couple of teen aged children this could easily double or treble.

The real problem is that without making these measurements in your own home it is not possible to tell which are expensive to leave on and which not. Even items like microwaves, dishwashers and washing machines today rely on electronics which may be permanently drawing power.

The only solution is to switch off all appliances at the wall unless the item displays and uses a clock, like a video recorder. (Such items are made to a higher safety standard.) The fire service still give out this as advice to avoid the occasional fires that result from appliances becoming faulty.