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We all know how to save water by taking shorter showers and turning off the faucet, but how often do we consider the amount of water our household appliances use? As technology keeps progressing, water saving appliances do as well making saving water a simple part of your day. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average US citizen consumes an average of 100 gallons of water per day and even though the Earth’s surface is 71% water we continue to soak up and waste this finite resource. No worries! 1St Source Servall will inform you on how you can minimize your water consumption and your water bill by choosing the most efficient appliance!
Energy efficient appliances are more expensive than regular appliances but consider future savings in your utility and water bills as well as helping the environment. Most major appliances like refrigerators, washer, dryers, and dishwashers last at least 10 years, most likely more. So why not pay a little more for an appliance that is helping the environment along with your utility/water bills?!
Refrigerators
Your refrigerator is the appliance most used in your home and the older it is the more it is costing you. Refrigerators today are 70% more efficient than those built in the 1970s so it may be time to get a new one! When looking for a new refrigerator, look for Energy Star because they help consumers find the best energy efficient products. Here are some efficiency tips for your refrigerator.
- Position your refrigerator away from a heat source like an oven
- Keep the condenser coils clean
- Check the refrigerator door seals
- Set the temperature between 35-38 degrees Fahrenheit
- Pack your refrigerator to maximum capacity
Washing Machine
Washing clothes is a daily part of our life; kids’ soccer jerseys, Halloween costumes, your daughter’s talent show costume. It is impossible to avoid using your washing machine too much. Washing clothes make up 14% of a households energy and water use. An efficient washer uses 10 gallons less than a regular washer and uses 25% less energy. Here are some tips on how to save water when using your washing machine.
- Wash full loads- works more efficient when the load is full
- Use cold water, hot water adds an extra amount on your water bill
- Choose a high spin cycle speed to reduce the drying time
- Use ecologically minded detergent
Choose an efficient Washer
There are two common types of washing machines, the front load, and top load machines. The top load machines works by filling it with water, then an agitator is used to circulate the clothes. Front loaders (which are more popular in Europe) spin back and forth on a horizontal axis and uses less water, heat, and detergent. These machines spin out excess water and less time is required during the drying cycle.
Dryers
Dryers don’t use water but they use a large amount of energy, the most out of your refrigerator, washing machine, and dishwasher. Energy efficient dryers use 20% less energy than regular dryers and energy efficient dryer’s sense when the laundry is dry and certain cycles reduce the need for ironing! Here is how you can make your dryer more energy efficient.
- Use sensor dryer instead timed drying
- Long cycles on low heat use less energy
- Air dry clothing whenever possible
- Get an energy efficient washer so the clothes come out less wet
Dishwasher
Believe it or not, dishwashers save more water than hand washing your dishes, washing a load of dishes by hand can use about 20 gallons more. Energy efficient dishwashers use 25% less energy than the standard dishwasher and use as little as 4-5 gallons of water. Advances in technology have made dishwasher include a soil-sensor to adjust the amount of water depending on the dirtiness of the dishes. Here is how you can make your dishwasher energy efficient.
- Avoid pre-rinsing dishes, new dishwashers completely clean the dishes without needing to pre wash them
- Turn down the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit
- Or install a solar water heater
- Try not to use pre-rinse or heat-dry settings on your dishwasher
- Wash full loads
More recent then ever companies have introduced water efficient products that help reduce the amount of energy used to heat water in your homes. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), the US consumes nearly one million dollars’ worth of energy every minute. Choosing high-efficiency appliances over conventional models allowed US consumers to save $12 billion on utility bills and avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 23 million cars.
Saving water leads to saving the environment and we hope this blog will help you choose appliances that are water and energy efficient. Looking for parts for your appliances? Find parts, accessories, cleaners, and more here. If you need help to find anything, feel free to contact us!
You can also find more appliance maintenance & cleaning tips on the rest of our blog!