10. July 2008 by admin.

Laundry may be the one daily chore nobody wants to think much about. However, two of the larger energy consuming appliances in your home are in the laundry room. The clothes washer uses both energy and water, especially if you wash in hot water. The clothes dryer is a large heater blowing hot air through your wet clothes. The water heater accounts for 13% of the average US home’s annual utility bill. Of that up to 26% can be due to washing clothes. Therefore, about 3.4% of your utility bill is for heating the water to wash your clothes. Read the following tips to stop wasting money from your clothes washer and dryer.

Wash in the lowest needed temperature and rinse in cold water. Most of the energy used for the clothes washer is consumed at the water heater, about 80 to 90%. Top load washers have tubs which can use 45 to 60 gallons of water per load. Front end washers use only about 17-26 gallons. If hot water is selected on the washer, then most of the above water comes from your water heater. Using the lowest water temperature is the best action to reduce energy consumption of your clothes washer.

Fill tub completely. If this is not possible, then adjust water level to the load. Waiting until there is enough dirty clothes for a full load will minimize the time the washer is used. However, overloading the washer may prevent sufficient cleaning of all the clothes. In the few cases some clothes must be washed, adjust the water level.

Use gentle cycle when possible. The washer also has an electric motor to spin the tub (drum) and agitator. Less energy is needed for a gentle agitation. Energy Star qualified front end washers do not have an agitator.

When buying a new washer, consider front end washers that are Energy Star qualified. Front end washers use less water and energy than top load washers. Energy Star qualified washers use over 40% less energy and water. Even if a washer is Energy Star qualified, energy use can vary between models and manufacturers. Always compare the yellow EnergyGuide tag posted on the appliance.

Dry your clothes outside on a clothesline. The clothes dryer has an electric or gas heater to dry the clothes. These heaters can be quite large, requiring a 240 volt connection in the US for electric heaters. Most of the energy used by the dryer goes into the heater. There is a fan to pull air through the drying clothes and out through a vent; and a motor turns the drum. The energy used by the clothes dryer is similar between models and manufacturers. Since there is little that can be done to reduce energy, they are not required to display EnergyGuide tags and are not included in Energy Star requirements. To save energy runtime must be reduced. The greatest reduction in runtime comes from drying clothes outside; let the sun do the work. Some homeowner associations do not allow or restrict the use of clotheslines.

Clean lint filter after every load. Lint in the filter slows the airflow and results in longer time to dry clothes. Make sure entire vent to the outside is clear of lint.

Using spin dry features of the washer saves drying time. Spinning your clothes in the washer pulls water from your clothes by means of centrifugal force. This uses less energy than the heater in your dryer. Energy star qualified washers spin clothes two to three times faster. More water is extracted which reduces dryer run time.

Do not over dry clothes. This runs your dryer longer than needed, wasting energy. When buying a new dryer, consider one with a moisture sensor.

Do not forget other devices that use energy. The use of the clothes iron is declining in our fast pace permanent press world but they do use energy when used. Irons can pull 1000 to 1800 watts. Use irons only when needed and make sure you do not leave it on. A sink may be used to aid in stain removal. Any use of hot water will use energy at the water heater.

To summarize, the major factor in energy use of clothes washers is water temperature. Try using warm water instead of hot water. Use cold water for colors and delicates. Rinsing can be with cold water. There is no advantage to rinse with warm or hot water. There is little control over the heat used by the clothes dryer; simply, do not run the dryer when it is not needed. These efforts will stop wasting energy when you do laundry.

For more infomation on saving energy go to The Home Energy Place.

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2. July 2008 by admin.

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2. July 2008 by admin.

It doesn’t take long watching tv, listening to the radio, or reading the newspaper to hear of a way to save energy. Why not? The soaring cost of energy has our attention. With all the media information on how to save energy, how do you decide what to do? Here is a strategy on how to approach saving energy to maximize your savings.

There are many ideas and suggestions to save energy. The website HomeEnergyPlace.com lists well over 100 ways to save energy in your home. Why are these only suggestions? All of our lives are different and our homes vary widely in construction and age. You must make your own decisions on what to do. Energy saving actions that are best suited to fit your own lifestyle and home. Here is a strategy you can use to help organize a personalized plan to save energy.

First, tackle energy saving actions that cost nothing. Changes in the way you live can save energy with no initial financial cost. Turn off lights when not needed. Turn down thermostat in the winter and turn up in the winter. Close window shades during the day in the summer and at night in the winter. Rinse clothes in cold water. These are just a few ways to save energy without any initial financial cost. The drawback is that you must adjust your lifestyle. Try a few ideas at a time, allow for the change to become habit. If any idea seems to extreme, then try something else. Be aware of how your daily activities affect energy use.

Second, find low cost energy saving actions. These actions will generally quickly return the investment from energy savings. Seal cracks and replace weather stripping around windows and doors. Replace old thermostat with one that has setback features. These are some of the many actions that have small initial costs. Set an amount you are willing to spend for this strategy, for example $100. Do any applicable energy saving action that costs less than $100.

Third, select Energy Star qualified appliances when replacing them. Appliances meeting specific energy use criteria may qualify as Energy Star. Dishwashers, clothes dryers, room air conditioners, refrigerators are a few of the appliances that can be Energy Star qualified. Usually these appliances are more expensive, but the savings in energy will quickly compensate the extra cost. Some appliances may exceed the Energy Star performance criteria or may not be in an Energy Star category. Always compare the energy consumption for all models of the appliance you are planning to purchase.

Last, invest in high cost actions. While high in cost they have the greatest yield in energy savings. Replacing windows, major insulation renovation and replacing heating and cooling system are examples of high cost energy saving actions. Due to the high cost, they take a longer time to recover the cost from energy savings. If you follow this strategy, by the time you invest in the high cost actions, you will already be saving from the lower and no cost actions.

Whether you’re on a budget or just want to use your money wisely the above strategy results in the greatest savings with the minimal cost. Any energy savings will eventually payback the initial expense, but when? While savings may not be significant at first, this strategy has immediate payback and savings will grow over time. Make you energy saving plan now; HomeEnergyPlace.com has many more ideas.

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2. July 2008 by admin.

Welcome to Home Energy Blog; a place to express your experiences and efforts to save energy.

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