Appliance Tips

appliance tips

• use a shorter wash cycle for lightly soiled clothes
• your dishwasher uses the same amount of water regardless of how many dishes you wash so wash full dish loads and use the ‘air dry’ setting or turn off the dishwasher after the final rinse
• the cleaner the reflectors under your range surface units, the better they’ll reflect heat into pots and pans
• use only cold water in your food waste disposal and to rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher
• use warm or cold water to wash clothes and cold to rinse to save energy
• use your microwave oven to reheat leftovers, cook vegetables and casseroles
• use your toaster oven to heat or bake small quantities of food
• vacuum behind your refrigerator at least once a year and remove dirt and dust from the coils  (appliance, refrigerator)
• vent the dryer outside your house to reduce heat and moisture inside
• wash clothes on ‘delicate’ so the motor won’t have to work as hard.
• wash only full loads of laundry
• washing 2 small loads of laundry uses about twice as much energy as washing 1 full load
• we could save about 30 million tons of carbon dioxide each year, if Americans washed all our clothes in cold water
• when you use a water heater insulation jacket to reduce your water heater’s energy use by 10 to 12%, check the owner’s manual (some manufacturers don’t recommend using wraps)
• turn off unnecessary lights and appliances; they add heat to your home
• use a slow cooker to cook one-pot meals
• adjust the load setting on your washing machine to save water when you wash smaller loads
• clean the lint filter after every load to increase air flow and help your dryer work more efficiently  
• If you immediately turn on the heat pump or air conditioner, everyone showers, and you do several loads of laundry, the increased demand charge could result in a much higher bill.
• instead of using a heavy wash cycle for heavily soiled clothes, soak them and then use a shorter wash cycle
• keep your freezer between 0 and 5° (lower settings use more energy)
• load dishes according to the dishwasher manufacturer’s instructions to take full advantage of your dishwasher’s spraying action
• mark items in your freezer for quick identification so you don’t have to keep the door open while your sort through things
• opening the refrigerator door accounts for $10 to $20 of a typical family’s annual electric bill based on 40 to 60 openings a day
• overloading your dryer makes it work harder and may cause excessive lint and wrinkling
• refrigerators operate most efficiently when full but not overloaded
• replace old appliances with ENERGY STAR® products that use 15 to 40% less energy
• running clothes through an additional washer spin cycle will save energy and cut your drying time in half
• turn off computers, printers, copiers, etc. when you’re not using them
• close your refrigerator door on a dollar bill, and if you can easily pull out the bill, it’s time to replace the seal
• defrost foods in the refrigerator instead of in the microwave to save energy and help keep your home cool
• dry like-weight items together for efficient drying
• dry loads consecutively to take advantage of heat build-up in your dryer
• dry your clothes outside and put the sun to work for you
• front-loading machines can reduce energy use by more than 50%, use significantly less water, require less detergent and shorter drying cycles, and reduce clothing wear and tear
• If you are a Combined Advantage or Demand Advantage customer, remember to spread out the usage of your major appliances when you return home.
• Time Advantage and Combined Advantage customers will save a significant amount by doing these activities during lower cost, off-peak hours (Monday – Friday, 9 pm – 9 am or 7 pm to noon, depending on your rate selection; and all day and night on Saturday and Sunday).  
• do all your ironing at once to avoid heating the iron multiple times