In “What Is Energy Efficiency Part 1”, it was shown that using different appliances, in this case, more energy efficient lighting systems, energy consumption could be shown to be reduced by as much as 80% without compromising the delivery of that service. The delivery of the exampled service was a determined amount of lumens (brightness of light) in a determined number of rooms for a determined amount of time. In a nutshell, LED lighting gets “more miles to the gallon” out of the four available and mass-produced household lights on the market. Statistically requiring as little as one fifth of the energy to produce an identical service required by other less efficient devices represents quite a significant saving. Some of these newer ideas are becoming better known as time goes by including the efficiency of LED lighting and the saving’s that can be achieved by using them is now almost regarded as common knowledge.
Every home consumes energy in different ways and for different reasons however, generally a home’s energy consumption regarding lighting is limited to only 6 to 8% of the energy used within a home and certainly in most households it would be in the order of less than 10% of the total energy consumed. Making sure that the big energy consumers within any household are the most energy efficient they can be will make the biggest impact on a household’s monthly or quarterly energy bills.
Throwing every old appliance out and starting from scratch may not be economically viable, however, as the “lights come on”, so to speak, the realisation that a home’s appliances’ energy efficiency determines the households general running costs is becoming increasingly understood and embraced. Consequently it will become clearer that the planning for replacement appliances before they fail, has significant merit. Since the laws of thermodynamics are well known and consistent, one thing you can be sure of is that every electrical appliance in your home has a use by-date which will eventually arrive. Because you know that day will come, and frequently warning signs appear before the event, being prepared with possible replacement appliance options already researched is most definitely in your best interest. In general, dogs live 14 or so years and humans live three score or so years. Similarly electrical appliances also have life expectancies, (some with cleverly build in obsolescence), but, having a general idea when the “Tele’ is on its last legs” is the best time to research what is best suited to replace it.
So, what are the big energy consumers within the home?
The answer to that question will be different in every household and will be affected by factors including climate zone, the topography of the immediate environment and the occupants lifestyles.
Within the western world there are a number of cultural and physical requirements to which we have become accustomed including the idea that every household should have a bathroom, a toilet, a refrigerator and a big screen TV. Having water efficient appliances, such as toilets and washing machines also have benefits, especially for those on tank water, but don’t underestimate the collective benefits in energy savings of a household with exclusively energy efficient appliances, especially the big energy consuming units. So, …. what are the big energy consuming units in your home? Once again, every home will be different, BUT, because we share a common modern culture, we also share many energy consuming appliances found in most western style homes. Televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, stoves, hot water systems and charging devises for computers and phones are commonplace and deemed almost essential in our culture. 
These are common big ticket items when it comes to a home’s energy consumption. Luckily for us, an efficiency star rating has taken the guesswork out of the equation when it comes to which unit is the most energy efficient. I have gone into some detail regarding this system in my book “Home Energy Efficiency Secrets – The Inside Story” available from your local library or AMAZON, but suffice to say here that the more stars on the unit’s sticker, the more energy efficient the unit will be.
How you operate the appliance is another issue, for example, leaving the iron on whilst you talk on the phone for an hour you know will impact your wallet. Usually if you indulge in such a practice, you are more likely to indulge in other practices that will increase your energy consumption exceedingly. The quick tip here is to turn appliances off that are not in use, including the television. A TV is not your friend; don’t use it to keep you company.
The appliances that consume the most amount of electricity when in use, or those that are used for extended periods of time, should be those most focused on to achieve your energy efficient goals. Using a home welder for short period of time occasionally will not have the impact of an appliance that needs to be on and functioning frequently such as a home freezer that has to be turned on 24 hours a day 365 days a year to do its job. Even though some units consume significantly less energy than others, keep in mind its the amount of time that they operate which will increase the total energy they consume each billing cycle. Energy used is a function of time. It’s the energy (Watts) consumed by an appliance multiplied by the time (hours) it is in use. Hence consumed energy is measured in kWh. That is, the energy they consume multiplied by the time that are operated.
For your home to move towards being more energy efficient, be informed as to what make and model appliance you will replace your high energy consuming essential and frequently used appliances well before they need to be replaced. You know that they will need to be replaced at some stage as the years progress and generally you will have an idea when that will happen. You know which appliances your home needs to function to meet your needs. Not every home needs a pool filter or 7.5 kW reverse cycle air conditioner but almost every home has a television and sometime more than one.
Have your research done before the day arrives that you need to replace your refrigerator so that you don’t have to replace in haste perchance that you then get to repent in leisure.
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Moreton Bay residents can access weekly tips from John on Community Radio 101.5 FM Friday Mornings at 10:10am
John Lynn