By adopting energy-efficient practices with your home appliances, you can not only save money but also enhance their energy efficiency, a win-win situation for your pocket and the environment.
While not all older appliances are as energy-efficient as newer models, investing in energy products can lead to significant savings. For instance, an Energy Star Rated dishwasher can save over 5,8000 gallons of water per year and cost around $50 to run. Even if you can’t replace all your appliances, finding ways to make them more efficient can contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle and lower energy bills.
These practical tips are designed to help you maximize the efficiency of your appliances without the need to invest in new ones.
Load Them Correctly
Did you know that the most efficient dishwasher can use 10 times less water than hand washing the same amount of dishes? By loading your appliances correctly as per the manufacturer’s instructions, you can use them less frequently and make them more efficient. Whether it’s avoiding halfloads in the washing machine or dishwasher or overloading the dryer, following these guidelines can make a noticeable difference in your energy consumption.
Unplug Unused Appliances
While you cannot realistically keep unplugging your major appliances like your fridge, freezer, or washing machine, you can turn off smaller appliances so they’re not using energy while they’re not in use. Things like your toaster, grill, kettle, and other kitchen gadgets like coffee machines can all be turned off easily and unplugged when they’re not in use. You can save about $100 per year, but you can drastically reduce your energy consumption.
Cook In Bulk
If you regularly use your stove, cooker, or even appliances like an air fryer or slow cooker, cooking larger quantities to heat up and eat at a later date can be more cost-effective and put less pressure on your appliances. This will not always be possible, but if you can, make more at once and then store it to eat later.
Get Regular Services and Repairs
Part of making your appliances more energy-efficient and sustainable is extending their lifespan. This means having them regularly serviced, maintained, and repaired where possible over buying new ones. The longer an appliance is in use, the more sustainable it will be. So whether you need dishwasher parts, a new seal for your washing machine, a new element for your cooker, or anything else, get it repaired rather than replaced, and you can make it last as long as possible.
Regular maintenance and upkeep of your appliances also means they are in a better condition overall and able to operate fully. If an appliance becomes damaged or a part becomes worn or broken, it will need to work harder to perform its tasks, and it will consume more energy and produce a lower output. By identifying any potential damage or wear and tear thanks to regular maintenance and inspections, you can reduce the risk of this happening and keep your bills low and your appliances in good working order.
Clean Them
Not just externally but internally, too. Take out the detergent drawer in your washing machine and clean any build-up from it; run a cleaning wash and, use a descaler on your washing machine at least once per month, and always remove your dryer lint on a regular basis. The cleaner all of your appliances are, the better they will work and the more efficient they will be. So, when you give them a quick clean over the external surface, look at how you can clean them internally to remove gunk and dirt to ensure they are in good working order.
Keep The Doors Closed
A simple but effective tip is to keep the doors closed. Avoid opening and closing the fridge and freezer doors. Doing so frequently increases the temperature, meaning they need to work harder to maintain optimal temperatures. Opening and closing the oven doors, removing the basket from the air fryer, or opening the microwave door before cooking is finished will also impact cooking times, making your food take longer to cook and the appliance use more energy to do its job.
So when something is in use, keep the door closed and avoid the temptation for a sneak peek to check on things.
Making your home appliances more efficient is the culmination of many small tasks you should and shouldn’t be doing. If you can’t afford to replace your appliances with Energy Star-certified appliances, these tips can be just what you need.