!! Appliance Anxiety !!

For all those dying to read a nice, dry blog with some straight forward facts about smart appliances, you're in for a treat. I promise you won't be disappointed and hopefully you'll impress some friends with this fascinating appliance knowledge.

REFRIGERATORS AND FREEZERS

• Proper placement in a home is integral to an appliance's energy-efficient operation. For example, a refrigerator or freezer placed near a stove, heater or even direct sunlight will expend considerably more energy to keep food cool than a properly placed refrigerator.
• Choose top-freezer models instead of side-by-side refrigerators, which use approximately 10 to 25 percent more energy.
• Also, with a side-by-side, you loose more space due to the longer distance that the freezer/refrigerator divider requires.
• Top-freezer models can use as much as 10-25% less energy than side-by-side refrigerator/freezers.
• Automatic ice makers and through-the-door dispensers increase energy use by 14 to 20 percent and increase the purchase price by $75 to $250.
• Chest freezers are usually more efficient than upright freezers. They are better insulated, and the cold air does not spill out when the door is opened. Automatic defrost freezers can consume 40 to 50 percent more electricity than manual defrost models.
  

OVENS

• Gas ovens and ranges use less energy than comparable electric appliances. Self-cleaning ovens are more insulated than other models and will save even more on utility bills.

DISHWASHERS

• Choose a model with a booster heater that has the ability to raise water temperatures to 140°F to 145°F; this will allow additional money to be saved by setting the water heater to 120°F.
• Choose a model with metered fill as opposed to timed fill. A metered fill model uses a float to measure the water level inside the dishwasher and to fill the unit the correct level regardless of the water pressure. Timed fill models are less precise because of water pressure variations.
• Select a dishwasher that has an air-dry or overnight-dry feature. Heat drying quickly dries the dishes but at the expense of increased energy use.
  

CLOTHES WASHERS

• Front-loading clothes washing machines use approximately one-third of the water that conventional machines use to wash the same size load of clothing.
• Front-loading models also spin clothes faster which results in less drying time, and therefore also reduce energy costs associated with clothes dryers.
• These models also do not have agitators, which means they are gentler on clothes.
• Use the cold water settings as much as possible. Modern detergents are designed for cold water washing. This reduces the energy used to hear water.
  

CLOTHES DRYERS

• Gas range dryers cost an average of 15 to 20 cents per load to operate, while electric dryers cost on average 30 to 40 cents per load.
• Look for a dryer with a moisture sensor in the drum instead of temperature sensor near the exhaust. This type of dryer is more accurate in sensing the drying time needed for clothes and will prevent over-drying.

Hope you had as much fun reading as I did blogging...