Going Green

 Are you ready to make a difference in your home that will impact the whole world for generations to come?  Think Energy Star.  Below are several tips to help you get the most out of your appliances and help you cut down on your energy bill.

Save Energy, Save Money

  • ENERGY STAR qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models. Look for the ENERGY STAR Label that may appear on the appliance, the packaging or the EnergyGuide label.
  • Take a look at the complete list of ENERGY STAR qualified products.
  • Also, be sure to read the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) purchasing guidance for major home appliances.

ENERGY STAR Qualified Clothes Washer

  • Wash your laundry with cold water whenever possible. To save water, try to wash full loads or, if you must wash a partial load, reduce the level of water appropriately.
  • Hot water heating accounts for about 90 percent of the energy your machine uses to wash clothes - only 10 percent goes to electricity used by the washer motor.
  • Depending on the clothes and local water quality (hardness), many homeowners can effectively do laundry exclusively with cold water, using cold water laundry detergents.
  • Switching to cold water can save the average household more than $40 annually (with an electric water heater) and more than $30 annually (with a gas water heater).
  • Washing full loads can save you more than 3,400 gallons of water each year.

Clothes Dryer

  • Don't over-dry your clothes. If your dryer has a moisture sensor that will automatically turn the machine off when clothes are done, use it to avoid over drying.
  • One of the easiest things you can do to increase drying efficiency is to clean the lint trap before each and every load.
  • It's easy to over-dry your clothes, if one setting is used for various fabric types. Try to dry loads made up of similar fabrics, so the entire load dries just as the cycle ends.

ENERGY STAR Qualified Dishwashers

  • Rinsing dishes can use up to 20 gallons of water before the dishes are even loaded. Save yourself the rinsing-just scrape food off dishes. ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers and today's detergents are designed to do the cleaning so you don't have to.
  • If your dirty dishes sit overnight, use your dishwasher's rinse feature. It uses a fraction of the water needed to hand rinse.
  • Dishwashers use about the same amount of energy and water regardless of the number of dishes inside, so run full loads whenever possible.
  • Select the no-heat drying option. It gives good drying results with less energy.

Microwave

  • Use your microwave or toaster oven to reheat or cook small portions.
  • You can reduce cooking energy by as much as 80 percent when using your microwave for small portions. This also helps save on a/c costs in summer, since less heat is generated when compared to using your stove or oven.

Range

  • Use the right sized pot on stove burners. A 6" pot on an 8" burner wastes over 40 percent of the burner's heat. Also, cover pots and pans to keep heat in.
  • Using the right sized pot on stove burners can save about $36 annually for an electric range, or $18 for gas. Covering pots and pans also helps you cook more efficiently and keeps your kitchen cooler.
  • Have a gas range? Keep the burners clean to ensure maximum efficiency. Blue flames mean good combustion; yellow flames mean service may be needed to ensure the gas is burning efficiently.

ENERGY STAR Qualified Refrigerators

  • Keep your refrigerator at 35 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Place your fridge in a cool place away from a heat source such as an oven, a dishwasher, or direct sunlight from a window.
  • Allow air circulation behind the fridge.
  • Keep the condenser coils clean if you have an older model. Read the user's manual to learn how to safely clean coils. Coil cleaning brushes can be purchased at most hardware stores.
  • Make sure the refrigerator seals around the door are airtight. If not, replace them.
  • Minimize the amount of time the refrigerator door is open.

Hire a Professional

Let Elements Building Specialties take the hassle out of upgrading your old appliances to new Energy Star rated items that will save you money and time.  Elements Building Specialties is dedicated to help you get the right appliance at the best possible price that you will be proud to take home.  

Contact us today!