Energy Miser Appliances
Brought to you by Better Homes and Gardens
The following facts help you shop for energy-smart appliances and building materials. Remember to look for the Energy Star label, which indicates a product exceeds federal efficiency standards by at least 10-20 percent. For more information visit www.energystar.gov.DishwashersSHOPPING TIPS:
- Dishwashers with different cycle options, such as "light wash" or "energy-saving," often use less water and energy because they can operate for shorter periods of time.
- Look for air-drying options. Heat-drying elements are often electricity hogs, while air drying fans demand very little energy (cutting operating costs by 1/3).
- Dishwashers with internal water heaters save energy and costs because they boost water temps up to the required 140 degrees for washing, letting you turn the household water heater down to 120 degrees.
- Dishwashers with an internal water heater can save up to 10 percent, about $10 annually, on energy and bills.
- Washers with faster spin speeds extract more water from clothes, cutting drying time by about 25 percent.
- Look for options such as water-level adjustments, a minibasket for small loads, and presoaking and suds-saver choices.
- An efficient washer can cut water use from 40 gallons to 18-25 gallons per wash load, translating into about $90 in annual energy and water savings.
- The less water a machine uses the less it costs to operate. When possible run cold-water loads, the lowest-water setting, and longer spin cycles (to cut down on drying time).
- Models with 16-20 cubic-foot capacities are the most efficient.
- Freezer-on-top models use 7-12 percent less energy than side-by-sides.
- Having one larger fridge is more efficient than having two smaller ones.
- If defrosted periodically, manual-defrost models use half the energy of automatic-defrost models.
- Compared with a 10-year-old model, an Energy Star fridge saves $25-$30 per year in electricity bills.
