Tag Archives: appliances

How much can you save if your replace that OLD refrigerator?

fridgeShould you replace that old refrigerator?

You probably know that refrigerators are typically the most energy-hungry appliances in your home, so the more efficient your refrigerator the more money you can save. Older refrigerators are usually two to three times more costly to run than newer models. If you still have a fridge from the 1980s, replace it with an ENERGY STAR qualified model and save over $100 each year on your utility bills. Replace a fridge from the 1970s and save nearly $200 each year! If you are wondering whether replacing your refrigerator is a good decision for you, ENERGY STAR Savings has a calculator you can use to find out exactly how much money you’ll save by replacing your existing refrigerator.

How to calculate appliance energy usage

Kitchen AppliancesI conduct Residential Energy Audits on behalf of OPALCO, the local utility provider in San Juan County. Oftentimes, homeowners are completely unaware of how much it actually costs to run a particular appliance. But, it can be calculated easily!

If you’re trying to decide whether to invest in a more energy-efficient appliance or you’d like to determine your electricity loads, you may want to estimate appliance energy consumption. You can do so with this formula: Wattage × Hours Used per Day ÷ 1,000 = Daily Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption (1 kilowatt [kW] = 1,000 Watts). Multiply this by the number of days you use the appliance during the year to determine annual consumption. To calculate the annual cost to run an appliance, multiply the kWh per year by your local utility company’s rate per kWh consumed. Note: use eight hours as an average daily maximum wattage time for a refrigerator. Although turned “on” all the time, refrigerators actually cycle on and off to maintain interior temperature. For typical wattages of various appliances see our chart.

Should I replace that old refrigerator?

You probably know that refrigerators are typically the most energy-hungry appliances in your home, so the more efficient your refrigerator the more money you can save. Older refrigerators are usually two to three times more costly to run than newer models. If you still have a fridge from the 1980s, replace it with an ENERGY STAR qualified model and save over $100 each year on your utility bills. Replace a fridge from the 1970s and save nearly $200 each year! If you are wondering whether replacing your refrigerator is a good decision for you, ENERGY STAR Savings has a calculator you can use to find out exactly how much money you’ll save by replacing your existing refrigerator.

Remodeling You Can Do Yourself!

Many homeowners don’t have extensive knowledge of electricity or plumbing, but there are still lots of ways you can change the look of the bathroom. The best way to save money on a remodeling job is to do as much of the work yourself as possible. HGTV suggests these minor kitchen upgrades to save time and money.

Home safety: Tipover tips

domino and falling economy diagramBig TVs, furniture and appliances can be serious hazards if they are not anchored to prevent tipovers – especially for kids. More than 43,000 people go to emergency rooms each year for injuries from falling household items, nearly half of them age 8 and younger. One child dies every two weeks when a TV, furniture item, or appliance falls on him or her, according to The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Anti-tip brackets and straps that secure stoves, furniture and shelves to walls can help, as can placing TV and other entertainment components on low, sturdy bases. Pushing the TV as far back as possible on its stand, keeping heavy items on lower shelves, securing loose cords and removing remote controls, candy or other tempting items from unstable stands or tables also reduces tipover risk.

How to RUIN your appliances

Dump the old broken appliancesReaders Digest says in an article that Appliances eventually wear out. Certain parts simply fail with time. It’s inevitable. But abuse and neglect can speed up the breakdown rate of stoves, dishwashers, fridges, clothes dryers and washing machines, helping to keep repairmen busy.” Here are some of the most common ways that homeowners contribute to the demise of their appliances, along with advice for avoiding these errors that damage dishwashers washing machines, clothes dryers, lass and ceramic stove tops and fridges and freezers.

Repairing vs. replacing your appliances

88583588Repairing an old, faulty appliance may seem like the cheaper option, but this may not be the best strategy when we think about energy efficiency. A key reason electric bills are so high is because old, inefficient appliances are eating up more energy than they are worth. “Knowing how much energy your appliances use annually can be a great money saver,” says Molly Hall, Executive Director of the Energy Education Council. “You can then make smart decisions on whether it would cost less to keep an old appliance running or buy a newer, more efficient one.” If your appliance is nearing the end of its life span the Energy Efficiency Resource Center has a good article to help you calculate repair vs replace.

Three kitchen remodeling blunders to avoid

Kitchen red and whiteThere you are, standing in a kitchen design store or home center, and the stainless-steel appliances dazzle, the granite counter tops add just the right warmth. This is what money, lots of money, can buy. But before you spend a dime, look for the downside, that thing that will disappoint or drive you crazy. Here, from the experts at Consumer Reports, is what the salespeople won’t tell you.