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Energy efficient home
appliances and electronics
Appliances account for about 20%
of household energy use. Appliances and electronics really add up on your
energy bill. When shopping for new appliances and electronics look for energy
efficiency labels.
Air dry dishes instead of using
your dishwasher's drying cycle.
Clean the lint filter in the dryer
after every load.
Consider air-drying clothes on
clothes lines or drying racks.
Consider buying a laptop for your
next computer upgrade; they use much less energy than desktop computers.
Don't over-dry your clothes. If
your machine has a moisture sensor, use it.
Dry towels and heavier cottons in
a separate load from lighter-weight clothes.
Make sure power management is
activated on your computer.
In the average home, 75% of the
electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are
turned off. Plug home electronics into power strips and turn the power strips
off when the equipment is not in use.
Wash your clothes in cold water
using cold-water detergents whenever possible.
Unplug battery chargers when the
batteries are fully charged or the chargers are not in use. Many chargers draw
power continuously, even when the device is not plugged into the charger.
Turn off your computer and monitor
when not in use.
Use the cool-down cycle to allow
the clothes to finish drying with the residual heat in the dryer.
Wash and dry full loads. If you
are washing a small load, use the appropriate water-level setting.
When shopping for a new clothes
dryer, look for one with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the
machine when your clothes are dry.
Refrigerators
Organizing the food on your
refrigerator shelves will allow for ample airflow and efficient operation.
Your refrigerator accounts for 11
percent of your household's total energy consumption, so buying an
energy-efficient model makes good sense.
Cool hot food before placing it in
the refrigerator so that you don't let valuable energy go to waste.
Today's energy-efficient
refrigerators use 50 percent less energy than models made 10 years ago.
ENERGY
STAR® qualified refrigerators have a more
energy-efficient compressor and better insulation than conventional models.
Clothes Washers
A water-level control or a
small-load basket helps you save water when washing smaller loads.
Front-loading clothes washers use
about 40 percent less water per load and 50 percent less energy than
top-loading models.
Dryers
A dryer with a sensor that turns
the machine off automatically when clothes are dry helps save energy.
You will get the most out our your
clothes dryer if you clean the filter before every load.
Freezers
A freezer that is too big for your
needs wastes energy and money. A rule of thumb is to allow 130 litres of
freezer capacity per person.
Chest freezers are more energy
efficient than upright models. Cold air stays in better when the door is
opened.
Your freezer or refrigerator must
work harder when placed next to a heat source such as a radiator, heating
vent, washer, dryer or furnace.
You can test your refrigerator or
freezer door seal by closing it on a sheet of paper. Replace the seal if the
paper slides out easily.
Dishwashers
Using a dishwasher saves energy.
Five minutes of pre-rinsing dishes under the tap can use up to 115 litres of
water.
Today's dishwashers are about 95
percent more energy efficient than those bought in 1972: your old one may be
costing you more money than buying a new one.
Ranges
Self-cleaning ovens generally have
more insulation than regular ovens. This means energy savings every time you
cook.
Turning on the interior light to
check your dinner instead of opening the door makes the best use of your
oven's energy.
Room Air Conditioners
A room air conditioner works just
like a refrigerator; it takes heat from the space that is being cooled and
transfers it to another place.
Setting the thermostat of your
room air conditioner at 25°C (77°F)
provides the most comfort for the least cost.
ENERGY
STAR® qualified room air conditioners use at
least 10 percent less energy than conventional models.
A room air conditioner filter
should be cleaned once a season. A dirty air filter reduces airflow and may
even damage the unit.
A poorly performing air
conditioner should be serviced without delay. Leaking refrigerant not only
reduces the unit's efficiency – it is also emitting greenhouse gases that
contribute to climate change. |
