The Facts About Energy Efficient Appliances
Refrigerators, clothes dryers, washing machines and air conditioners are the most ravenous energy consumers in the home. Reducing home energy use benefits not only consumers, who save money when they save electricity, but also the environment. For every heater that heats an unoccupied room or old refrigerator placed next to an oven, unnecessary greenhouse gases and pollutants are released from electricity generation. According to the Energy Information Administration, 70% of fuels used to generate electricity in 2006 were fossil fuels, which emit carbon dioxide and are responsible for 82% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Residential electricity use accounts for about 20% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. In addition to reducing waste by using reusable bags and other durable products and using fewer greenhouse gas-emitting forms of transportation, reducing home electricity use is a significant way consumers can address this issue.
While it helps to be conscientious about turning off lights, lighting is not the biggest culprit when it comes to draining electricity. Lighting accounts for 5-10% of energy use, but refrigerators alone use about 17% of the electricity in a typical American home. Older models are particularly inefficient. Replacing an old refrigerator with a new Energy Star qualified model could both save you money and reduce the environmental impacts of electricity generation. The Energy Star logo can be found on a number of appliances that use substantially less energy than required by federal standards. Other ways to save energy used by your refrigerator include purchasing the smallest feasible model, ensuring the door seals are tight, positioning it away from heat sources such as ovens or dishwashers, preventing frost build-up and minimizing the length of time the door is open.
It also pays to be energy-conscious about washing machines. According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), 70-90% of the electricity washers require is used to heat water, so washing clothes on cooler settings can help save, as can loading the machine fully. When purchasing a washer, consider Energy Star qualified products for the most efficient models. Front-loading washers are more efficient than top-loading, and washers with options for water level controls and energy-conserving cycles can help you avoid wasting energy when washing a small load.
According to the ACEEE, 5% of the electricity produced in the US is consumed by air conditioners alone. The ACEEE recommends reducing sources of warm air in the home before upgrading cooling equipment by improving insulation and air sealing, getting rid of inefficient appliances that give off excess heat, shading windows, considering light-colored exterior finishes and using fans. You can also avoid wasting electricity with your air conditioner by turning it off when leaving the house, not cooling unoccupied rooms, keeping doors and windows closed when it is in use and running hot water appliances at night.
The truth is that you can reduce your consumption of energy by using your appliances smartly and purchasing energy efficient appliances next time you need new ones. If you're not in the market for new appliances right now but are looking for some ways to reduce the consumption of energy, follow the above advice to improve the efficiency of your current appliances, check out energy efficient lighting options, start shopping with reusable grocery bags, and reduce your greenhouse gas-emitting forms of transportation.