Home Appliances

February 4, 2010
Christopher Musial

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A good time to make some energy-saving moves is when you are buying refrigerators, dishwashers, ranges, furnaces, hot-water heaters and other new home appliances. Investing in new energy-efficient models can result in significant cost savings.

Replacing Home Appliances

In general, new appliances offer more energy-efficient features, run more quietly and use less electricity or gas than older models. Most manufacturers tout their energy savings making it relatively easy to compare makes and models.

• A new refrigerator with a top-freezer is likely to be more affordable and energy efficient than a side-by-side model. A large top-freezer model also uses only slightly more power than a smaller one, and if it cuts strips to the supermarket, it may be more cost-effective in the long run.
• Many dishwashers today come with water-miser and no-heat dry features which can significantly pare water and energy costs over time if you use the dishwasher more than once a day. You also will save money by running only full loads.
• New gas ranges and ovens come with electronic ignitions instead of old-fashioned pilot lights which can tote up big cost savings sice a pilot light eats up nearly half the fuel needed to run a gas stove. New electric stoves and cooktops come with sensors that automatically turn down burners savings on electricity.
• The more you spend on new washers and dryers the more energy features you’ll find. By allowing you to set the water level and wash times to fit each load you save on water and electricity. Front-loading washers also save more water than top loaders. Humidity sensors on some dryers automatically shut off the dryer when the load is dry. As with the dishwasher, always run your washer and dryer with full loads.