Look For the Star: A Guide to Energy Saving Appliances

With electric bills continually on the rise, energy saving appliances are a must for any home. Not only will they save you electricity, energy saving appliances will save you money in the long run, and can allow you to contribute to saving the planet.

Your appliances take up 20% of your total energy bills, so if your still haven't purchased energy saving appliances, now is the time. Such energy saving appliances are labeled with the Energy Star, which is awarded only to appliances that are energy efficient, and significantly exceed the minimum national efficiency standards.

The appliances which consume the most electricity in the home are computers, as well as equipment used for cooking, heating, air-conditioning, and washing.

A computer is a must for any home, but it can use up a lot of electricity. In fact, the computer monitor alone accounts for over 50% of the computer's total energy use. Some monitors are already engineered to be energy saving, but it still pays to switch the monitor off if you wish to leave your computer idle.

The smallest appliances in a kitchen's are also its best energy saving appliances. If you have to cook or reheat food, use microwaves or toaster ovens instead of a stove. They use up to 50% less energy, and will save you spendings on gas.

Electric cooking equipment are also considered energy saving appliances. An electric kettle will use up less energy than a stove, and will boil water more efficiently. However, don't forget to always clean out this energy saving appliance with boiling water and vinegar to wash out the mineral deposits.

Use an electric frying pan instead of a stove if you have to fry small foods, such as eggs. This energy saving appliance uses less electricity to fry and heat the same amount of food as a conventional stove.

Heating and air conditioning equipment are hard to keep as energy saving appliances since they can be costly to maintain, even with the Energy Star label. However, you can prolong their lives by keeping them in the right locations.

Wash and replace your heater and air-conditioning filters, and clean your house fans regularly. Dust and dirt can keep your equipment from being effective energy saving appliances, and can shorten their life.

High efficiency furnaces and hot water tanks are energy saving appliances, and, in the long run, can save you a great deal on electricity, gas, and money. A high efficiency furnace can reduce fuel costs by up to 30%, translating into $ 500 less in annual heating cost for the average family. Higher efficiency hot water tanks can also save you as much as $ 90 per year in heating costs.

Today's refrigerators are energy efficient, and are thus energy saving appliances if used correctly. Modern refrigerators use about 400 kilowatt hours of electricity, costing about $25 a year to run – compared with $ 100 annually for older models. Just be sure to keep your refrigerator away from uninsulated or warm areas, and if you don't have a frost-free model, defrost it regularly to keep it up and running smoothly.

Install thermostats in your home to keep your energy saving appliances from eating up electricity. However, keep your other appliances, such as lamps and stoves, away from thermostats. Thermostats can sense heat, and they can run an air conditioner longer than needed, thus consuming more electricity than necessary.

Cleaning machines can be energy saving appliances if you choose the right models. Buy horizontal access washers and driers. These machines use half the water, detergent, and electricity of the conventional top loading washers. These energy saving appliances are also built for a high speed spin cycle, which can dry clothes faster and cut your electricity costs.

Some of today's kitchen dishwashers are also equipped with built in heat boosters, which can raise temperatures quickly, saving you time and energy. When shopping for dishwashers, look for both the Energy Star and this feature.

Believe it or not, a toilet can contribute to energy consumption, and properly built toilets are considered energy saving appliances. Yesterday's toilets required 15 liters of water for a single flush. Today, low-flow toilets use only 3-6 liters, and some countries offer rebates for citizens who purchase them.

Energy saving appliances are only as good as the house they are in, so make sure that your house is built well enough to maintain them. Make sure that your home is properly insulated to keep heat from escaping. Seal all windows and wall cracks, or purchase double-glazed windows. Place your heating and cooling equipment far from each other. Use lights only when needed, and switch off any appliance which is not in use.

Saving energy in these times not only requires us to look for the Energy Star – it needs us to make sure that every penny we spend is invested well, so that all energy is saved and used wisely.

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