Aloe Terra - Lawrence Tech University 2007 Solar Decathlon Team
Appliances
"Appliances account for about 20% of your household's energy consumption with refrigerators, clothes washers, and clothes dryers at the top of the consumption list."
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Updating your appliances can be beneficial to both the environment and your wallet. Energy-efficient appliances require less energy to operate than conventional appliances; less energy means lower utility bills. When purchasing a new appliance, consider the following the same three steps that ALOeTERRA did when purchasing appliances for our home.
Step 1
Look for the EnergyGuide label
The Federal Trade Commission's Appliance Labeling Rule requires that manufactures provide a yellow and black EnergyGuide label for most appliances. This label includes the estimated energy consumption of the appliance and the appliance's estimated annual operating cost.
Step 2
Determine the real price of the appliance
The real price of an appliance is the purchasing price plus the cost of operation and maintenance. An energy-efficient appliance may have a high purchasing price, but its real price is probably low because of the money saved on utility bills over the course of its life.
Step 3
Compare brands and models
Use the EnergyGuide and real price equation to your advantage. Compare and contrast different brands and models to determine which one is right for you.
More Appliance Advice!
- Use the energy-saving settings on your appliances.
- Wash your clothes in cold or warm water.
- Purchase a clothes dryer with moisture sensors. Moisture sensors will turn the dryer off once the clothes are dry.
- Don't pre-rinse your dirty dishes, and try to only wash full loads.
- Keep your ovens and stove-tops/cook-tops clean so they can reflect more heat to your cookware.
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