Reviewed October 1993
Contents
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Appliances account for 20 to 30 percent of all energy used in the home. Major appliances -- range, oven, refrigerator, freezer, clothes washer and dryer, dishwasher and television -- use most of this energy. The water heater is second to the heating/cooling system in home energy use.
When you purchase an appliance, remember that the energy supply is limited and energy costs are rising. Select with efficiency in mind and ask these questions:
Look for a label on an appliance that indicates how efficiently the appliance uses the energy required to operate it. Energy-efficient appliances usually cost more to buy than less efficient models; however, they may repay the difference through economy of operation and maintenance.
Energy-efficiency labels, are available on air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, water heaters, clothes washers and dryers, central air conditioning units and heating equipment.
During winter months, utility suppliers experience peak generating demands between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. In summer, peak demands begin at 11:00 a.m. and continue until 8:00 p.m. To meet these demands, utility companies use back-up generating equipment that is less efficient and/or more costly to operate.
Residential users can and should help relieve energy demands by scheduling dishwashing, laundry and other energy-demanding tasks for "off-peak" hours -- early morning or late evening. To encourage "off-peak" usage, some utility companies offer special rates to residential customers. These rates require a special or separate meter.
Pilot lights consume 5 to 10 percent of all natural gas used in homes. Pilots on water heaters and furnaces provide some useful heat, but other pilot lights do not make efficient use of energy.
Electric ignition systems eliminate pilot lights and are becoming more widely available on gas appliances. The initial cost will be somewhat higher than models with pilots. Consider models featuring electric ignition and make cost comparisons when buying or replacing gas appliances.
Less than 40 percent of the energy produced by a gas range surface burner actually gets to the food. In electric range surface units, this figure may increase to 60 percent. However, the energy loss in converting fossil fuels to electricity lowers this efficiency figure considerably.
Correct cooking methods and management improve the efficiency of top-of-range cooking. This includes:
Small electric appliances may operate with less energy than range surface units. Compare the wattage of the small appliance with the range surface unit and consider the time and task involved to decide which to use.
Ovens that cycle on and off through thermostatic controls are more energy efficient than range surface units for cooking complete meals or multiples of a food rather than a single food. Ovens should be well insulated to retain heat and conserve energy. Periodically check and clean the gasket around the oven door; a worn or dirty gasket allows heat to escape.
Although a self-cleaning (pyrolitic) oven uses energy for cleaning, the cost in energy may be justified if the feature is used prudently. A self-cleaning unit has more insulation and therefore retains heat better than conventional models. The self-cleaning feature should be used only when necessary and only during "off-peak" hours.
A microwave oven is best used for preparation of a small number of food servings and for quick heating of food. Microwave cooking is convenient. Whether microwave cooking is more energy efficient than conventional cooking methods depends on the length of cooking time, and the alternate method of cooking. For safety reasons, especially, keep the seal clean around a microwave oven door.
The energy efficiency of a refrigerator-freezer is determined by overall size, freezer compartment size and operating temperature, insulation, method of defrosting and user habits. Buy a refrigerator large enough to serve household needs.
The freezer compartment of a refrigerator-freezer should be kept at 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius.) The larger the freezer, the more energy required to maintain this temperature. A top- or bottom-mount freezer requires less energy to operate than a side-by-side unit.
The temperature of the refrigerator section should be kept between 38 and 42 degrees Fahrenheit (3 to 5 degrees Celsius). Colder than necessary settings waste energy. Higher temperatures than this can promote food spoilage.
When you shop for a new refrigerator-freezer:
A freezer is expensive to operate; it must be kept at 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius) to maintain food quality. Costs of the various defrosting methods discussed for refrigerator-freezers apply to freezers.
To minimize operating costs:
In most American homes, a considerable amount of hot water is used for washing clothes. Consider a machine that uses the fewest gallons of water per pound of clothes, one that has high, medium and low water-level controls and an automatic cold rinse cycle.
When you use your washer, follow these suggestions to save energy:
A dryer evaporates water from clothes and minimizes wrinkling by tumbling the clothes. Water evaporation requires heat, large amounts of it. Heating costs money, but there are features to look for and ways to use the dryer to make it more economical to operate.
Select a dryer with an automatic timer or shut-off and with a variety of cycle settings that will allow you to set a temperature suitable for the fabrics being dried. Follow these economy suggestions:
Permanent press fabrics absorb less water than conventional fabrics and therefore require less drying time. By using permanent press clothing and bed linens, one can reduce drying and ironing time and save energy.
A dishwasher is an efficient household appliance. It may use less hot water than washing dishes by hand but requires hotter water than that used for other household tasks. Consider a dishwasher with an energy-saving switch that automatically omits the use of heat during the drying cycle and thereby saves 20 to 40 percent of operating costs.
If your present dishwasher does not have an energy-saving switch, energy can be saved by turning the unit to "off" and slightly opening the door at the end of the rinse cycle.
To increase efficiency:
When you shop for a television, consider solid-state equipment. Solid-state units use up to one-third less energy than conventional tube equipment. Solid-state also means lower maintenance costs and longer life for a piece of equipment.
Televisions are often left on when no one is watching or listening. Learn to turn off the television when you leave a room. Teach children that part of the privilege of watching television is turning it off when they have finished using it. However, frequent turning of the switch on and off may shorten the life of the equipment. Exercise judgment.
When purchasing a television, buy as small a screen as you can tolerate for the area in which it will be used. The smaller the screen, the less energy required for operation. Black-and-white televisions use less energy than color sets.
Many of today's televisions have an "instant on" feature which uses a small amount of energy even when the screen is dark. One must decide if the "instant on" feature is worth the price. If you have it, the set should be disconnected if you plan to be away from home for an extended period of time.
GH4950, reviewed October 1993