Electric bills are like opinions. Everybody has one, and not all of them are good. If you’re electric bill has skyrocketed these past few months, you may want to check your consumption and see if one of your appliances is out of whack, or maybe one member of your household sleeps with the lights and TV on.
In any event, your job as a consumer and earth defender is to lower your carbon footprint. To do this, you must be vigilant about your current crop of appliances and the ones you are currently in the market for if a replacement is in order. Usually, older models are less energy efficient when compared to the newer models, so it’s always a good idea to periodically upgrade your gear rather than call an appliance repair service to have it running again.
EnerGuide and Energy Star
Before we go to our top 3, let’s briefly touch on how EnerGuide and Energy Star can help you with your next purchase.
According to National Resources Canada, the EnerGuide Label must be placed by law on any new appliance manufactured in or imported to Canada. This label compares a product’s energy performance against others in its class. It helps Canadians save energy, reduce the impact on the environment and lower utility bills.
The Energy Star Symbol indicates that a product meets or exceeds high efficiency standards. So, if you’re in upgrade mode, here are the top 3 home appliances you should consider replacing to reduce your carbon footprint and make your home more eco-friendly. Choose the right one, and lower your monthly consumption for good.
The Electric Clothes Dryer
Electric Dryers are the largest power consumer in the home, typically consuming 946 kilowatt hours per year in a 2006 study by the government of Canada. Now this study may be old, but the message is still loud and clear: dryers consume a lot of juice. So, when choosing your next dryer, consider the newer models that use inverter technology or you can give natural gas dryers a chance.
The new models use inverter technology to power the heater, making these models super efficient. Natural gas dryers are also environmentally sound choices, but you’d have to pay for the initial installation costs. Always check the EnerGuide label to make an informed decision.
The Refrigerator
Our iceboxes are the 3rd largest power consumer among household appliances, consuming an average of about 694 kWh a year. As one of the few appliances that are ON for the whole year, getting an uber energy efficient refrigerator is a must for any household.
By far, the best ones in the market are the ones that use inverter technology. I can’t stress the importance of inverter tech. I have appliances that have inverter motors and my electric bill has been shrinking ever since. The premise here is these appliances cost more than the conventional ones, but they pay for themselves in a year or two because your consumption will be less, shrinking your electric bill in the process. Again, check the EnerGuide label for more details.
The Dishwasher
One of the most used appliances in any home, the dishwasher comes in at number three on our list of appliances that can shrink your monthly electric bill when you choose an energy efficient model. According to the NRC, dishwashers are the 5th most power hungry appliance in the home, because heating the water alone takes a whopping 80% of the power used to operate a dishwasher.
When choosing your next dishwasher, consider the heating element and the decibel rating. Also check if it’s rated by Energy Star. Troll the forums to see which ones are costly to maintain and which ones last for a long time. Some models also use twice the amount of water as compared to other models, so read the EnerGuide label and choose wisely.
The End
There you have it, 3 home appliances you should consider replacing if you feel they’re not performing as they should and if they’re guzzling power like a hungry hippo. There’s also a new study in the US that states the DVR and the cable TV box are among the top power consumers (2nd place) in the household because they’re always on. But let’s save that topic for next time.
A great list if you’re in the market for new appliances. Our stuff is relatively new and we’ve found it’s best for our bill to just cut out the expensive stuff. We hang our clothes to dry now and turn off the heat dry and heavy high temperature wash setting on the dishwasher. Our bill has gone way down!
Gas is definitely much cheaper and the only way I have ever gone. In my current home, there was gas and electric both available at the hookup. In my last place, I had to pay for the gas company to come out and extend the line, but it was well worth it as I already had been given a free dryer!