Saving Electricity With
Energy Efficient Appliances

Clothes Washer

Saving electricity can be accomplished around the home on a daily basis. Appliances account for about 1/3 of your utility usage.

This is one place to consider cutting back to save some green. Many washer cycles have a default of (warm wash and rinse) or (hot wash and rinse).

You can cut back on usage of hot water by simply setting the wash cycles to cold. This will add nicely to home energy savings overall. It's obviously not going to save electricity if you have a gas water heater but will nevertheless save on utilities.

If you have an electric water heater your home energy savings will really kick in. Do numerous full loads back to back and make sure your detergent is formulated for cold water washing.

If your machine is old, it may be time to look at the energy efficient washers available today. They use much less water and are also good at saving electricity. Look specifically for Energy Star Appliances that have great ratings.

Clothes Dryer

Use the sensor-drying feature of the dryer so that it automatically turns off when dry and doesn’t continue to run according to a timer. When you run loads of laundry, fill the machine up to its capacity leaving enough room for your clothes to dry without wrinkles. Do numerous loads back to back so the dryer is hot and doesn't cool down between loads.

Clean vent cover of lint between loads to maximize airflow. Make sure the dryer vent has a clear run to the outside with no kinks or obstructions.

Refrigerators

If saving electricity is your objective, set your refrigerator temperature between 36 and 40 degrees and freezer at 0 degrees or slightly higher for the most efficient operation. Newer refrigerators have a built-in thermometer otherwise use an outdoor thermometer.

Try to decide what you want to get out of the refrigerator before you open it and get as much out as you can once you get it open. Let hot food cool down before placing it in the fridge.

Leaving the door open for extended periods requires a lot of energy to cool it back down. Your refrigerator works best and is more efficient when it is full.

If you plan on being gone for and extended period of time turn your refrigerator up after removing perishables.

If you are going to be buying a new refrigerator, check the home energy usage information provided by the manufacturer. The payback on a new efficient refrigerator that is replacing an old fridge will be relatively quick. Again, look at Energy Star Appliances when buying new.

With older refrigerators, defrost regularly and keep the coils clean and unobstructed on the rear of the unit. Replace the door gasket if you can close the door over a piece of paper and remove it easily.

Carbon Monoxide Alarm

When you follow a number of the energy conservation tips and make improvements to your home, what you are essentially doing is making the home tighter with fewer leaks. This is a good thing to have decreased air exchange from outside to inside.

The downside is that carbon monoxide from your furnace, water heater, fireplace, car, lawn mower, etc. can be in your home or can get into your home. It may not be able to escape like it once did through available leaks in the home envelope since everything is now "tighter."

This is a very hazardous situation and can be fatal if these poisonous gases cannot escape . That is why we recommend installing a carbon monoxide monitor/alarm so that you are protected from these dangerous gases.

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