In the U.S. today, most home appliances are certified by ENERGY STAR. This means they use less energy, which translates into lower utility bills. However, ENERGY STAR-certified appliances tend to be costlier than conventional models. Despite this, you should still go ahead and invest in them since they always pay for themselves in the long run. If you are looking for the biggest energy savings, you should consider upgrading the following appliances.
1. Refrigerator
Since their invention many years ago, refrigerators have seen significant improvement in the technology they use to keep items cool. In addition to improving their performance, manufacturers have been keen to make sure refrigerators use less energy. This means refrigerators produced today are far more energy efficient than those produced before the turn of the last century. If you want to save energy on a noticeable scale, upgrading to an ENERGY STAR-certified refrigerator would be a smart move.
2. Clothes Dryer
A report released by NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) shows that a typical clothes dryer can consume as much energy annually as an energy-efficient washing machine, dishwasher, and refrigerator combined. Things are even worse if you are using an older model.
With that said, the next time you are upgrading your home appliances, your clothes dryer should be among the first on your list. It has been proven that an ENERGY STAR-certified clothes dryer uses 20% less energy compared to a traditional model.
3. Washing Machine
You will be missing both the point and a great opportunity if you are upgrading to an energy-efficient dryer but still sticking to an old washing machine. In other words, you will be saving more when you combine your energy-efficient clothes dryer with an energy-efficient washer. It is noted that an ENERGY STAR-certified washing machine consumes between 40% and 50% less energy.
That’s not all. Energy-efficient washing machines will also help you pay less in water bills. That’s because they use around 55% less water than their standard counterparts.
4. Dishwasher
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While a dishwasher may not be as energy-hungry as a high-heat clothes dryer or a constantly-running old refrigerator, it is still worth upgrading if you have an older model. That is because older dishwashers tend to use more water and electricity in the long run compared to their newer counterparts.
Furthermore, studies suggest that using an ENERGY STAR-certified dishwasher can save up to 12% more energy than relying on an older model to keep your utensils clean. While this may not seem huge, it makes a difference when you look at it in terms of five or more years.
To sum up, upgrading to energy-efficient appliances can save you more money on a yearly basis. And since the above items are used every day, it makes sense to replace them with ENERGY STAR-certified models. If you reside in Santa Cruz, CA, contact us at Fisher Electric today for more information.
