5 Long-Term Savings Tips to lead you into the New Year

[tweetmeme source=”plassappliance”]As we say goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012, it is important that we all begin to make a conscious effort to be more energy-efficient and save energy, money, and reduce the risks of global warming. We’ve compiled 5 long-term savings tips for you to add to your New Year’s Resolution list in order to start your year off saving by making smart and more efficient choices.

Improve Refrigeration: Did you know that Refrigerators are the largest users of electricity among household appliances? It’s true, that beautiful stainless steel icebox that looks so sharp in your Kitchen uses more energy than any other appliance in the house. In order to your improve Refrigeration, make sure the energy saver switch is turned on. This switch allows you to adjust the heating coil under the “skin” of the refrigerator (the purpose of the heating coils is to prevent condensation on your refrigerator). Check the seal on door gaskets periodically. Close the door on a dollar bill, if it pulls out easily, you may need a new gasket. Avoid setting refrigerator temperatures colder than necessary. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that refrigerators be set at 37 degrees F and freezers at 3 degrees F. Remember to cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder. Lastly, if you have a manual-defrost unit, regularly defrost the freezer and refrigerator; frost buildup decreases the energy efficiency of the unit.

10 Helpful Home Appliance Tips

[tweetmeme source=”plassappliance”]At one point or another, we could always use a helpful tip or two, especially when it comes to our Home Appliances. Here are 10 Helpful Home Appliance Tips for you to use to improve the efficiency of your appliances and your home, while lessening your workload around the house.

1. Always be sure to clean the Dryer filter after every use. This will allow the dryer to breathe better which will in turn allow your clothes to dryer faster.

2. Washing your clothes in cold water saves on energy and lowers your utility bills. Cold water also works best to lift out tough stains on treated pre-treated clothes.

3. To keep your Dishwasher running smoothly and working longer, run the Dishwasher once a week even if there are no dishes to be done.

4. Many Refrigerators have open coils at the back of unit. Clean these coils early and often, at a minimum every six weeks. If you have pets, like dogs that shed, you’ll want to clean the coils more often. This will allow the Refrigerator to breathe better and prolong the life span of the unit.

Save Money & Protect the Environment with Energy Star Appliances

[tweetmeme source=”plassappliance”]Still using that old washing machine that you purchased way back when? I bet you’re happy that you haven’t had to replace it, right? Well did you know that with a new Energy Star clothes washer you could be saving yourself money while protecting the environment? It’s true. Today’s appliances are more energy-efficient and more advanced than ever before. They use less total energy, use less water, and less of an effect on the environment. By making an investment in a new energy star appliance you are making a conscious effort to protect the environment as well as put more money back in your pocket. Here are some appliance models that make for great upgrades to a new energy star appliance.

Clothes Washers: Did you know that the average family washes over 400 loads of laundry a year? That’s a lot of laundry! Think about the amount of energy and the amount of water being used with each load and each wash. It adds up. By purchasing a new Energy Star clothes washer you can cut those energy cost by a third and your water costs by more than a half. That’s because Energy Star qualified clothes washers use about 30% less energy and over 50% less water than regular clothes washers. If your washer is over 10 years old, replace it with a new Energy Star qualified washer and you can save up to $135 a year.

Dishwashers: How old is your dishwasher? 5, 10, 15 years old? Hopefully you’re not using a dishwasher over 15 years old. If so, you’re paying an additional $40 a year on your utility bills compared to owning a new Energy Star qualified model. A dishwasher built before 1994 wastes more than 10 gallons of water per cycle. If you were to replace your old dishwasher with a new Energy Star qualified model, you’d save enough water each week to wash 3 loads of laundry in your new Energy Efficient front load clothes washer. Don’t wash away your savings with an old dishwasher, upgrade to a new Energy Star model, save on your utility bills and reduce your water consumption to help protect our lakes, streams, and oceans.