Green Appliances Buying Guide

Having an eco-friendly home can be easier and more affordable than you thought. Using energy-efficient appliances throughout your home can end up saving more than the environment; it can also save you a lot of money.

Green washers and dryers

Energy and water consumption in the home can be greatly reduced by using energy-efficient washers and dryers. A few things to look for in your future washers are:

• Front-load washers: Using a horizontal or tumble-axis basket, front-load washers lift and drop clothes into water instead of using a central agitator. Your front-load washer should use less water so check your detergent to make sure it will be compatible with your washer.
• Redesigned top-load washers: These redesigned washers use a different washing action to clean clothes. Look for washers with sensors to monitor incoming water temperature and washers that use repeated high-pressure spraying instead of soaking clothes in a tub of water.
• No central agitator: Top-loading washers rub clothes together in a full tub of water. Avoid central agitators because they use a lot of hot water and energy to heat that water.
• High spin speeds: The faster your washers can spin the clothes dry, the less moisture will remain which means less energy spent to dry them in the dryer.

When online shopping for dryers, look for these features:

• Moisture sensor: This will prevent you from over-drying your clothes.
• Removable lint filter: Make sure you can get to the lint filter for cleaning. Clean your lint filter after every load to maximize the dryer's efficiency.
• Variable temperatures: Switching from hot to warm (or cold) can reduce a load's energy use in half.

Tip: Instead of drying clothes in the dryer, use a clothesline or clothes rack to dry clothes. Most clothing manufacturers recommend line drying for many fabrics.

Green dishwashers

An easy way to save at least $30 a year in utility costs is to replace a dishwasher that was made before 1994 with a more energy-efficient model. Most of the energy used by a dishwasher is used to heat water. When looking around for a new dishwasher, check out Energy Star rated dishwashers. They use less water and 25 percent less energy, making them a very eco-friendly home appliance. When running your dishwasher, follow a few of these helpful hints:

• Let dishes air-dry: If your dishwasher doesn't have an air-dry switch, turn off your dishwasher after the final rinse and prop open the door to let your dishes dry without heat.
• Avoid soaking or pre-washing: Soaking or pre-washing is really only recommended for dried-on or burned-on foods.
• Avoid using the "rinse hold" switch: Using the rinse hold switch, especially on just a few dishes; will waste three to seven gallons of hot water.
• Wash full loads: Make sure your dishwasher is full but not overloaded. Washing full loads will maximize your washing while minimizing the amount of water you use. Overloading usually results in dishes that aren't clean and this means another cycle through the dishwasher.

Tip: When you buy a new dishwasher, check the manual for a recommendation on water temperatures; you may be able to set the water heater in your home at a lower temperature (about 120 degrees Fahrenheit).

Eco-friendly refrigerators and freezers

As far as energy consumption goes, your refrigerator uses the most energy in your home. What should you look for when purchasing an eco-friendly refrigerator or freezer? The biggest indicator that you've found an energy-efficient model is an Energy Star rating. Other fridge features to look for are:

• The right size for your needs: The larger the model, the more energy it will use. The most efficient models are usually 16 to 20 cubic foot capacity, and the most energy-efficient freezers are chest freezers.
• Top-freezer models: Top-freezers use 10 to 25 percent less energy than side-by-side refrigerators.
• Automatic moisture control: This feature is designed to prevent moisture accumulation on the cabinet exterior without the addition of a heater. Automatic moisture control is not the same thing as an "anti-sweat" heater (which uses five to ten percent more energy).
• Manual defrost: Can you defrost your refrigerator or freezer by yourself? How about when you find out that manual defrost models use half the energy of automatic defrost models? (Frost buildup raises the amount of energy needed to keep the motor running so don't let frost build up more than one-quarter of an inch.)

Tip: Consider buying a refrigerator without an ice-maker and through-the-door dispenser. They use 14 percent to 20 percent more energy and raise the cost of your refrigerator by $75 to $250.

Energy-efficient heaters and air conditioners

Keeping your home properly heated or cooled is a concern for just about everyone. In the winter, you wouldn't want to freeze just because you're too concerned with your utility bills, and in the summer, you'd rather not be too hot. Here are some things to look for in your heaters and air conditioners:

Heaters

Consider a space heater: you can supplement your home's heating with a space heater that can warm only the rooms that need the heat the most.

• Ceramic element space heater: This space heater can be operated at a lower temperature, releasing the same amount of energy, which will spread over a larger area. Ceramic heaters are able to maintain higher temperatures for longer periods of time than electric heaters.
• Oil-filled radiators: The heating element is contained inside the heater, and once the oil is heated, it will continue to give off heat even after the inner element has been turned off. Because these heaters do not have a fan, they run quietly.
• Infrared-based space heaters: Using the energy from infrared, air is passed through coils, which then heats a room. These portable heaters can be moved from room to room or wherever a little extra heat is needed.
• Halogen space heaters: These heaters are also known as reflective heaters. They use an energy-efficient halogen bulb, but instead of heating a room, they heat nearby people and objects. These portable heaters are usually housed in cool-touch cases, have a double safety grill and automatic tip-over protection, which makes them perfect for homes with kids, animals or the elderly.

Air conditioners

Central air units can be expensive to run, especially if you only need to cool a few rooms. Consider using an energy-efficient room air conditioner. When you are shopping for a room air conditioner, look for these things:

• Highest Energy Efficient Ratio (EER) will provide the greatest savings. EER is the cooling capacity in BTUs (British Thermal Units) divided by the watts.
• The standard home outlet has a connection for a 115-volt branch unit circuit. Any AC units rated at 115 volts may need a dedicated circuit, and any room units rated at 230 volts will need a special circuit.
• Look for easy-to-clean filters. Filters that slide out are easier to clean regularly, which will keep your air conditioner working efficiently.
• Read the yellow EnergyGuide label to determine how much energy the air conditioning unit will use to operate. You can compare other models and calculate your estimated yearly operating costs. (The product pages on Overstock.com will include watts, voltage, EER, BTU, amps and many more specifications you need.)
• Air conditioning units with controls, such as digital readout thermostat settings and built-in timers, will help you adjust your air conditioner to use less energy.

Keeping your home green

Proper maintenance will go a long way toward keeping your energy-efficient home appliances working like new. Always remember to clean filters regularly and perform standard upkeep on your new housewares. The little bit of maintenance you do, as well as the initial cost of these more eco-friendly home appliances, will be more than offset by the savings in your utility bills.

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