ENERGY STAR® Appliances Can Save Money
Will buying a new refrigerator, washer or other appliance really result in energy savings? The answer is yes, especially if existing appliances are ten or more years old. The average home spends about $2,000 on energy bills every year. Changing to appliances that have earned the Energy Star could save you up to $75 a year, and they’re better for the environment.
The Energy Star Program added major appliances to its program in 1996. While buying an Energy Star rated product isn’t an endorsement of quality, it will help you by knowing how much it will cost to operate the appliance, before you buy it. When buying a new appliance, it’s important to consider how much you’re going to pay for the initial purchase AND what you’ll pay for the water and energy it uses. Energy Star qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies and generally use anywhere from 10 to 50 percent less energy and water than standard models. Money saved on a utility bill could more than make up for the higher initial cost of an energy efficient model.
Currently, Energy Star tags can be found on washers, refrigerators, freezers and dishwashers. Other appliances, such as dryers, ranges and microwaves, are not rated. It’s estimated that the Energy Star program has already saved enough greenhouse emissions equal to the emissions from 27 million cars. The program also has been responsible for an estimated savings of $16 billion on utility bills since its inception in 1992.
Other considerations when buying a new appliance should include buying from a reputable company like SBS, where you know our sales staff has years of experience selling appliances, and we’ll back what we sell. Even if the company you buy from doesn’t service the appliance, make sure they will stand behind the product, if you have a problem.
Energy Star dishwashers use 41 percent less energy, mainly because they use less water and have more efficient pumps and motors. An Energy Star dishwasher uses no more than four gallons of water, while non-energy star versions use an average of six gallons per load. That means an Energy Star dishwasher has a higher concentration of detergent in the wash cycle resulting in cleaner dishes. New innovations, such as GE’s new dishwasher, mean that these appliances are only getting better. The GE washer dispenses just the right amount of soap, taking into account the water’s hard or softness.
In addition to purchasing an Energy Star dishwasher, there are several things you can do to increase this appliance’s efficiency. Use the air dry cycle whenever possible. Wash full loads and scrape the dirty dishes, don’t hand wash them. Enzymes in the detergent are designed to “eat” the soil off the dishes. When you hand wash them, you waste hot water washing them, and the detergent has little or nothing to work on in the dishwasher.
Buying an energy efficient washing machine can save you an astounding $550 in operating costs over the life of the washer. Front load washers are growing in popularity, and that’s because there’s a big difference in the way they operate from a top load model. Front load washers use somewhere between 14 and 17 gallons of water per load, compared to 40 gallons for a top load washer. Since 90 percent of the energy consumed in doing a load of laundry is for heating water, the amount of water it takes makes a huge difference in energy bills. Front load washers also can handle larger loads. Front load washers spin at 900 to 1,300 revolutions per minute (RPMs), compared to about 500 or 600 RPMs for most top load washer. The higher the spin speed, the less water is left in the clothes, which means less time in the dryer. More recent Energy Star rated washers include minimizing or discontinuing the warm water rinses, another energy saving feature.
Tips for increasing a washer’s performance include waiting to add bleach until after a few minutes of the wash cycle. Chlorine bleach kills the enzymes in soap, so waiting to add bleach will give the enzymes a chance to do their job. When using a washer that uses smaller amounts of water, use HE detergent, which has fewer suds. Look for the HE logo on the front of the detergent package.
Replacing an old refrigerator will result in significant energy savings. Energy Star refrigerators require about half as much energy as models manufactured before 1993. They use high efficiency compressors, have better insulation and are built with more precise temperature and defrost mechanisms. Energy Star refrigerators come in various models – from top or bottom-mount freezers to side-by-side and French door styles. In general, side by side models use more energy (about 571 kilowatts per hour) compared to about 474 killowatts per hour for a french door model. Refrigerators that don’t have ice or water in the door are generally a bit more energy efficient. New innovations continue to make refrigerators even more energy efficient. For example, GE recently introduced a refrigerator with LED lighting.
In addition to buying a newer model, Energy Star rated refrigerator, there are ways to decrease your energy consumption. Make sure the temperature level is adjusted properly and that the refrigerator and freezer are sealing tightly. Open the doors as little as possible, so fewer defrost cycles will be necessary. Set the freezer at 0 degrees and set the refrigerator at 35 to 38 degrees. When designing a new kitchen or during a remodel, make sure you keep the refrigerator away from heat source.
Many consumers don’t even realize it, but there are two types of freezers on the market today -- frost free and manual defrost. Frost free freezers reverse the coolant when it detects frost on the interior of the freezer. This allows the walls of the freezer to warm just enough to melt the frost. While this seems like a good feature, it also shortens the life of the food being stored. Manual defrost freezers store food longer, but do require cleaning and defrosting about once or twice a year. Check Energy labels to compare efficiency for all models – chest or upright freezers – before making a buying decision.
One last tip – keep your freezer full. As you get empty space, fill it with water-filled milk jugs to keep the freezer running at optimum efficiency.
Even though only a few appliances qualify for the Energy Star rating, it’s still important to consider energy efficiency when purchasing any appliance. Learn more at www.energystar.gov.
