Greening Your Appliances

Choosing the right appliances for a new home or a remodel is easy if you apply a few simple steps. Do you know how you use the appliances you currently have? How many loads of laundry do you do a week? What kinds of laundry loads- mostly utilitarian clothing on normal cycles or would you benefit from a machine that accomadated handwashing and delicates? There are machines designed for energy efficiency like front loaders as well as top loaders that act as front loaders. Do y0u do a lot of dry cleaning? One way to help the environment and your wallet is to buy a washer that will handwash and a dryer unit that will dry flat items and those on hangers. How many dishwasher loads do you do? Are you often running a half full machine or do you have trouble fitting everything in one load? There are dishwashers that have 2 drawers you can run seperately as well as considering adding a second drawer type dishwasher in addition to a standard unit. How about the oven? Large family and lots of casseroles? There are a variety of double ovens available from 2 unit wall ovens to stoves that are double. If you are a gourmet, consider dual fuel which allows gas cooktop and electric oven for maximum efficiency. And keep in mind adding a convection oven for quicker cooking, energy efficiency and improved baked goods. Microwaves come with this option as well which can be a huge energy savings. The refridgerator needs special consideration. If you entertain a lot you might appreciate a armoire style which gives maximum shelf space to accomodate large platters. The freezer on the bottom of these units can also be larger and more efficient use of space. Remember to look for the energy star certification. Appliances use an estimated 20% of your total energy use for your home so energy efficient appliances can make a huge impact on your costs and the environment.

Energy Savings

This is the time of year when your energy bills are bound to escalate. Here are some tips to get your bills down:
Keep vents in floors and baseboards unobstructed. Move furniture away enough to allow for sufficient air flow.
Replace air filters as needed to keep too much strain off your intake.
Utilize your microwave oven for cooking. It uses a lot less energy than traditional ovens.
Have your furnace serviced. A clean unit draws less energy.
Adjust your outdoor lighting timers to accomodate time change and length of days.
Remember- conserve, conserve, conserve!