Week 22 - APPLIANCES

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Energy Star logo and how by looking for products with that logo, you could save energy and money. This week I want to discuss how you can save energy, water and money with the appliances you already own whether they are Energy Star rated or not.

You can make significant changes in three ways:

1. Maintain your appliances.
2. Choose the right appliance for the job, and…
3. Change how you use an appliance.

I think the easiest way to explain this is to go appliance by appliance, so let’s start with:

The Pig in the Kitchen

No, I do not mean your spouse I mean your refrigerator. The refrigerator is the biggest energy glutton in the kitchen. To keep things under control:

• Vacuum the coils every 6 months.
• Ensure the door seal is airtight.
• Don't keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37° to 40°F for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer section.
• Don’t leave the door open. Know what you want before you open it.
• Switch to an Energy Star model when it’s time to purchase a new one.
• Recycle your old one. Go to earth911.org for a recycling location in your area.

The Freezer

• Your freezer will run more efficiently when well stocked. So load it up!
• Don’t put hot foods in the freeze. Let them cool first.
• Ensure the door seal is airtight.
• Don’t place your freezer by a heat source.

The Stove/Oven

This is an area where you should ask yourself, “Do I need to use the stove or oven?”

• Will the toaster oven suffice?
• Will the electric kettle work?
• Will the microwave or convection oven do the job in less time?
• Should I use the crock-pot (a soup or stew will taste just as good)?

All of the above small appliances can do the job of the stove/oven, do it more efficiently, and cost effectively. Your stove/oven is not your friend, so think twice!

• When you do use your stove, cover the pots to avoid losing heat.
• Keep burners and reflectors clean so they heat better.
• In the cooler months after you have finished baking, leave the oven door ajar to heat your home.
• Ensure the oven door seal is airtight.

The Dishwasher

In a previous post, I discussed how a dishwasher could use less water than washing dishes by hand. Here are a few more ways to conserve with this appliance:

• Do a full load - you can save $40 over a year.
• Choose the most efficient setting.
• Don’t pre-rinse. Studies have shown it’s unnecessary and you can save 20 gallons of water each load (note: a friend of mine mentioned if you use an environmentally friendly dishwasher detergent which contains no bleach, you may want to rinse your coffee mugs or dishes that held tomato products as they can permanently stain your dishwasher).
• Let your dishes air dry. Open the door after the rinse cycle, and…
• Just a reminder, use a green detergent like Seventh Generation or Ecover.

The Washer

• When it comes to washing clothes, the first thing you have to ask yourself is, “is it dirty?” If the item doesn’t stink, it doesn’t need washing. My kids are always sticking their sweatshirts in the laundry after about 10 minutes of wear. If they smell fresh and they haven’t spilled anything on them, I put them back in their closets. This could save a load a week and at 40 gallons of water a load, that’s a significant savings!
• Wash full loads.
• Wash whites in warm instead of hot water.
• Wash colors in cold.

The Dryer

According to Real Simple magazine, “the average U.S. household spends up to $135 a year in energy costs drying clothes”. The dryer is the second largest energy-sucking appliance. Here is how we can reduce its energy consumption.

• Clean the lint filter on your machine after every load. If you don’t, your dryer can use 30 percent more energy to dry your clothes.
• Dry only full loads, but don’t over dry.
• Dry two or more loads in a row, taking advantage of the dryer's retained heat.
• Use the cool-down cycle (perma-press cycle) to allow the clothes to finish drying with the residual heat in the dryer.
• In the spring, summer and even early fall, consider line drying your clothes.
  

We have all these appliances because they make our lives easier. No doubt about it, I would be hard pressed to find someone willing to pound laundry against rocks. We just have to use them more responsibly and again, that’s simple when we make ourselves aware.