Smart Investing in Energy-Saving AppliancesWhen replacing older appliances, consider new, energy-efficient models. They often cost little or no more than energy guzzlers and will produce significant savings on your energy bill. In some cases, the energy, cost and environmental savings of a new model are sufficient reason to replace an older appliance that still works well. Refrigerators - New, energy-efficient refrigerators use as little as 400 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, half the energy use of standard fridges from the early 90s and one quarter of those from the early 1980s. At current electricity rates of 6 cents per kilowatt hour, that ancient fridge can cost more than $100 a year to run, compared to about $25 for an energy-efficient model. If the freezer in the new fridge (top-mounted freezers are the most energy efficient) is large enough, you can perhaps unplug your chest or upright freezer and save another 500 kilowatt hours per year.
Front-loading washing machines - More properly known as horizontal-access machines, these washers use about half the water, electricity and detergent of a top-loading washer, plus cut dryer costs because their high-speed spin cycle wrings more water from clothes. For a family of four, the extra $200 or $300 on the purchase price will pay for itself in energy savings in a couple of years. |
