Q–How much energy do appliances eat up? is it worth buying the so-called “more energy efficient” units? Does the savings depend on usage? And are there ways you can make your appliance workt more efficiently to cut energy costs?
Roger W. via e-mail
A–Appliances–not counting water heaters–usually account for about one-fifth of your home’s energy usage, according to statistics from the utility companies. That’s a fairly healthy chunk and can add up to a lot more if you have an all-electric stove or dryer.
With electrical appliances, it often makes sense to consider buying a more energy efficient unit. For example, running a refrigerator that’s more than 5 years old can cost $150 to $200 for electricity each year. New high-efficiency units cost about $60 a year to run.
Usage also needs to be considered when purchasing certain appliances. For example, a refrigerator will always be running in any home. If you have a large family, however, chances are that the washer and dryer are running almost non-stop, too. In that case, the more energy efficient these appliances are the better.
When shopping for a new appliance, look for an Energy Star label. This is basically a seal of approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy and identifies an appliance as the most energy efficient in its class.
Also look for those yellow and black Energy Guide labels, which detail the annual energy consumption and estimated operating cost for an appliance.
There are numerous steps you can take to help keep your appliances operating as efficiently as possible.
With refrigerators, for example, use an appliance thermometer to make sure the unit is not too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit for the refrigerator and 5 degrees for the freezer.
Don’t allow more than a half inch of frost to accumulate in a refrigerator or freezer because an excess will cause the motor to run more often.
Check the refrigerator gasket or seal. To do this, put a piece of paper between the door gasket and the refrigerator and close the door. If you can easily pull the paper out, the seal may need to be changed.
Clean the coils on your refrigerator at least twice a year with a vacuum cleaner or a damp rag. (The coils usually are located on the back of older refrigerators, while it is located underneath on new units. Most manufacturers recommend unplugging the refrigerator while you’re cleaning the coils.) The unit will work more efficiently if you follow this regimen.
Here are some tips for stoves: When buying a gas stove, choose one that has auto ignition. This eliminates the pilot light, which wastes energy.
Also, cover the pots on the stove whenever possible. This will cut cooking times and will keep the stove cleaner. And keep the burners’ reflectors clean because they’ll reflect the heat better.
If you own an electric stove, turn off the burner a few minutes before you’re through cooking. The element will stay warm enough to continue cooking the food.
Here are some tips for dishwashers: Only run a dishwasher when it is full. Dishwashers use less water than washing the dishes by hand, but they use hotter water. That causes your water heater to run more.
Another energy eater is the prewash option. Avoid using it. Instead, scrape away leftover food before putting the dishes into the dishwasher.
Also, allow the dishes to air dry if this option is available on your machine.
Finally, here are some tips for clothes washers and dryers: Again, run only full loads on both machines. Use the automatic drying sensor feature on your dryer to minimize heat usage.
Whenever possible, wash in cold or warm water, using a cold water detergent. This will ease the burden on your hot-water heater.
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Got a question about home energy or home environmental issues? Write to Energy Q&A, Chicago Tribune, Your Place section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago, Ill. 60611. Or you can e-mail energy qa@aol.com. Questions will be answered only through the column.
