How To Green Your Appliances

Good ol' Consumer Reports is a very reliable source of information. Check out their new website Greener Choices which has a wealth of information on what to look for in home appliances. http://www.greenerchoices.org/home.cfm

Tint of Green is a new helpful Canadian site that is dedicated to helping people investigate and acquire green products and services."http://www.tintofgreen.ca/green_directory_detail_where.php?id=17&RoomID=8&ImproveID=2&ImproveSubID=36

This colourful site will show you how to green each room of your home and choose eco-friendly appliances. Once you've done some research, you may like to take your questions to the good folks at Light House Sustainable Building Centre's HomeSpa Green Home Advisory Service.

They'll be happy to talk to you about Energy efficient appliance upgrades. While you're there, take a look at their online directory for state of the art energy-efficient refrigerators and dishwashers. Energy-efficient appliances can also be found at local department stores and home improvement stores such as Home Depot. http://www.sustainablebuildingcentre.com/home_services/homespa

Top Tips to Green Your Appliances

Here are some great tips to conserve energy and save money with your appliances.

1.    Buy Energy-Efficient Appliances

If your appliances are getting on in years, it's a good investment to upgrade to newer more efficient models. An ENERGY STAR® refrigerator uses about half the energy of many 10-year old models, and ENERGY STAR® clothes washers often use half the water and 70% less energy per load. For more on Energy Star products see http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home.index

2. Use The Energy-Saving Mode

Many appliances now come with an energy-saving option. If you're not sure whether yours does-check the manual. Make it a habit to keep your appliance on this mode and you'll be saving money daily.

3. Learn How To Make Your Appliances Run More Efficiently

Amble through these informative websites: Mr. Electricity http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/ , How Stuff Works http://www.howstuffworks.com/, and Energy Hawk http://www.energyhawk.com/ . They offer a plethora of unbiased information to help you make the most of your appliances. You'll learn how to operate them as efficiently as possible and how to prevent repair problems. You'll also extend the life of your appliances and save money on operating costs.

4. Clean Refrigerator Coils

Just as you would clean the rest of your house regularly, the back of the refrigerator also needs attention. Put it on your calendar to clean the coils at the back at least twice a year. Otherwise, dust and grime can cause the fridge to run less efficiently.

5. Keep Your Freezer Full

If you keep your freezer only half full, you'll be spending energy to freeze the air not your frozen dinners. Thus take advantage of specials and stock up. Your freezer is most efficient when it's full. (Aren't you glad you have another reason to stock up on chocolate ice cream?)

6. Run Your Appliances Full

Washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers can use a lot of water and or energy. So only run them when you have enough items for a full load. Clean the dryer lint trap after each use so it doesn't get clogged.