Green Appliances

Twenty percent of all our household energy usage comes from appliances. Therefore it stands to reason that it is in our best interest as home owners to keep the appliances we have in good condition, or to buy new ones that are energy efficient. This efficiency can be compared by looking at the Energy Guide label that comes on most new appliances.  Without sacrificing style or comfort, these appliances can save families about one third of their energy costs and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

One of the first things that you can do to be echo friendly where your appliances are concerned it is to take a look at your washing machine.  The standard vertical washing machine accounts for 23% of total water use in the home. These vertical machines agitate the clothes in a big tub of water at 400 to 500 revolutions per minute.  In contrast, the frontloaded horizontal machines rotate much quicker and are more energy efficient.

However, the new generation vertical access washing machine can be as efficient as the horizontal models.  Although the cost of the horizontal machine is higher at the present time, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.  For one, the frontloading configuration of most of these horizontal machines allows for easy stacking of the washer and dryer so that they can fit into tight spaces. These machines also use less detergent which is an echo friendly consideration and all homeowners who are interested in being echo friendly should replace old appliances with new EnergyStar washers and dryers.

Of course the homeowner should consider these green considerations when it comes to the clothes dryer as well.  Like most appliances, clothes dryers can be run on gas or electricity.  Although the ones that run on gas are less expensive to operate, they do have a higher initial cost.  Energy efficient sealed combustion dryers save energy and money over time.  As well as the obvious green concerns and cost efficiency, the homeowner should check with their local utility to see if there are any rebates available for using these energy efficient products.  However, if you really want to be energy efficient, the experts on conservation say that you should get rid of the clothes dryer completely and simply string an outdoor clothes line on your property.

 Eighty percent of the energy used by your dishwasher is used by water heating. Selecting a model that uses less water of course saves energy.  Once again the best selection is the EnergyStar dishwasher since it uses 25% less energy than is called for by government standards.  In general, it's a good idea to look for the EnergyStar label on all the appliances you buy. As well, you should always buy gas appliances .  Even though they are a little more expensive, they cost less to operate and are better for the environment. The EPA is working toward placing energy efficient appliances at the forefront of what is produced today.

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