Something that you should consider when you’re buying a major appliance for your home is the fact that they have two costs. The first when you buy it at the store and the second is the monthly fees you’re charged to operate it.
Did you know that the average home spends about $1,900 on energy costs every year? Change to appliances that have earned the ENERGY STAR, and you can save $80 a year in energy costs, while saving the environment. Visit www.energystar.gov to get more information on specific appliances and their savings compared to non-energy star appliances.
Changing to these energy efficient appliances is just one step in saving costs per year there are many others like insulation, types of windows you install, and air quality filtration systems. But we are going to focus on major appliances today, specifically refrigerators/freezers.
Saving energy prevents pollution. In most households, the refrigerator is the single biggest energy consuming kitchen appliance. These appliances run 24 hours a day 7 days a week using one sixth of the energy in the household. Replacing a refrigerator bought in 1990 with a new ENERGY STAR qualified model would save enough energy to light the average household for nearly four months. ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator models use at least 15% less energy than required by current federal standards and 40% less energy than the conventional models sold in 2001.
You may also be interested to know that you can reduce the amount of energy your refrigerator or freezer uses, whether you have a standard or an ENERGY STAR qualified model:
-Position your refrigerator away from a heat source such as an oven, a dishwasher, or direct sunlight from a window.
-To allow air to circulate around the condenser coils, leave a space between the wall or cabinets and the refrigerator or freezer and keep the coils clean.
-Make sure the door seals are airtight.
-Keep your refrigerator between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
-Minimize the amount of time the refrigerator door is open.
-Recycle older or second refrigerators. ENERGY STAR recommends that the older refrigerators be recycled. For information on recycling programs in your area, please visit the Steel Recycling Institute website. Additionally, you may want to check with your state or local utility provider, as they often will administer recycling and take- back programs for refrigerators for more information.
Where can you buy these refrigerators you ask? Well, most major retailers stock ENERGY STAR qualified models. Check the ENERGY STAR Store Locator for a retailer in your area. Also, check for rebates in your area before you buy.
For information on how you can purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products in bulk, please visit www.energystar.gov/quantityquotes.
So, that’s the necessary information that you’ll need to get started looking for an energy efficient ENERGYSTAR refrigerator.
To purchase other great planet friendly every day items go to www.greenhome.com and you’ll find all sorts of items from printer paper to furniture to pet supplies to clothing. It’s a great resource that I highly recommend using.
Thanks and have a great day!
Ryan Quinn
http://rquinn.mustseespace.com
