Energy Saving Tips for Major Household Appliances

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Being part of a busy society drives us to use appliances that make our lives easier. Sometimes a high cost can be involved in using them, so we offer you tips that will guide you toward greater efficiency when it comes to appliances. Major household appliance usage accounts for roughly 25% of the annual amount of energy consumed by the average American household per year.

Refrigerator and Freezer

Minimize the number and length of times the door is opened; Each time the unit is opened, the harder it has to work to replace the cold air that escapes
Keep the refrigerator temperature set at 37-40 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer at 0-5 degrees Fahrenheit
Keep your unit well stocked; Both an under and overstocked refrigerator will consume more energy to keep the contents cold
Place refrigerators away from stoves, windows, etc. where heat is generated
Choose a chest freezer over an upright freezer
Choose a top-freezer model versus side-by-side refrigerators

Dishwasher

Run your dishwasher on the “normal” setting when possible
Don’t rinse dishes before loading them, only scrape
Load the dishwasher as described in the directions for the most efficient and effective cleaning

Ovens

Don’t preheat your oven
Cook multiple dishes at once
Use a toaster oven or microwave oven for small meals, less energy is needed to run this appliance than is needed for the conventional oven
Use pots and pans that fit the oven burner, thus heating the contents most efficiently

Washer and Dryer

Do full loads of wash
Line dry articles of clothing outside when possible
Wash clothes in cold water, energy is saved when water needn’t be heated
Don’t overload the dryer, extra time and energy is use