The arrival of your energy bill can be a daunting moment and a lot of people wonder if it will be lower or higher than last month. While energy prices have increased in recent years, there are other factors you can have control over to manage your energy bill. Let’s look at the top four energy-using appliances and how to make them more energy-efficient to save money:
Washing Machines and Dryers
Cleaning dirty clothes is a must for everyone and this makes a washing machine and a dryer a necessary expense. Industry experts estimate that an average energy cost for laundry is at least $140 every year. Doing your laundry at home costs less when you think about travelling times to and from the laundry shop. However, you can minimise that annual laundry energy bill if you wash your clothes smartly by using an energy-efficient washer and dryer. Read more here to find your best options.
Refrigerators
Fridges cannot be turned off to save money since you have to keep your food cool and fresh. However, you can use some tips and tricks to reduce the amount of energy needed for running your fridge.
A refrigerator’s ideal temperature is 35ºF, and each degree below this number consumes more energy than necessary. Your fridge will work better if you keep it full since there is less space to cook around the food. Fridges made before 1994 cost more to run than energy-efficient units.
Electric Oven or Range
Using an electric oven once every day at 350ºF will have you spending around $90 worth of energy every year. If you love to cook at home and use your electric oven regularly at even higher temperatures, it can add up over time. To reduce your energy consumption when using your oven, consider cooking more meals at the same time. This way, your electric oven does not have to heat up each time. Also, you can save more energy on a convection setting than the bake setting.
Dishwashers
On average, homes can spend up to $49 every year on energy for running the dishwasher. However, new dishwasher standards for energy efficiency were established in 2014 and older models tend to use more energy. And the more water the appliances, the higher your utility bills will be. To make the most of your energy and water use, fill the dishwasher for every load. Energy Star dishwashers are more efficient in terms of energy and water usage.
