Saving the World, One Appliance at a Time
The severe drought may be over, but we’ve got a lot of natural resources to protect here in the Bay Area. Whether we need to save electricity, conserve water or reduce waste, your appliances can either help the environment or hurt it.
Premier appliance manufacturer Bosch was one of the first companies to offer a complete line of Energy Star appliances. These appliances are also top-of-the-line, so it’s equally important to have qualified appliance repair for Bosch in Hillsborough. From purchasing the right appliance to making sure it’s running efficiently, your own appliances make a difference to the world.
Living Green to Save Green
There are actually countless ways to save the environment with your appliances, and nearly all of them will also save you money. It’s simple, really: save more electricity, water and gas, and you’ll save on your utility bills. There are also a number of local incentives for switching to more energy-efficient appliances, and they can pad your wallet a little bit too. We’ll quickly run down the ways your appliances can help you save the world and save your wallet.
Look for Energy Star Appliances
When an appliance meets certain energy efficiency standards, it receives an Energy Star qualification. Since 1992, Energy Star-rated appliances have saved Americans more than $362 billion in energy bills. They’ve also reduced the production of 2.5 billion tons of greenhouse gasses. Want a portion of that $362 billion in savings and reduction in greenhouse gasses? It’s easy: trade in your old appliance for a new, Energy Star appliance or repair your current Energy Star model. Here’s what to look for in various appliances.
-Refrigerators. Of the 170 million refrigerators currently in use in the U.S., 60 million are more than 10 years old. Appliances this old cost Americans more than $4.4 billion in energy each year. If you bought your Thermador fridge in 2005, for instance, it’s costing you more money that you need to spend. It’s also wasting energy. You have two options in this situation:
—First, you can call experienced appliance repair for Thermador in Hillsborough to have experts assess your fridge. A knowledgeable appliance repair technician can tell you if your appliance is running as efficiently as possible.
—Second, you can start shopping for a new fridge, using the Energy Star rating as a guideline. The $270 savings you’ll realize over the next five years isn’t earth-shattering, but it’s enough for another couple of tickets to a Sharks or Giants game.
-Dishwashers. Washing dishes may not be particularly exciting, but old dishwashers are water hogs. Models built before 1994 waste about 10 gallons of water every time you run them. That would have been enough water to preserve at least a little patch of green lawn during our recent drought. If you want to save nearly 4,000 gallons of water, buy a new dishwasher that’s Energy Star qualified. In the process, you’ll also save significantly on energy costs with a more efficient dishwasher.
-Washing machines. In the early days of Energy Star, most qualified washers were front-loading machines. Today, you have many more options, including stacked washer-dryer units with Energy Star qualifications.
Does it feel like you’re constantly washing clothes? It should because Americans wash about 300 loads of laundry a year. Three hundred loads of laundry use about 6,900 gallons of water a year if you have a standard washing machine. Switch to a new Energy Star clothes washer, and you’ll use only 3,900 gallons of water. You’ll also save $45 on your electricity bill each year.
Don’t feel smug if your front-loading washing machine is more than 10 years old though. Older washing machines, even older Energy Star washers, are notably less efficient than newer models. Operating an older washing machine will cost you an extra $210 a year in wasted utility costs. If you have a washer that’s 5 to 10 years old, you can improve efficiency with proper maintenance. Your older Miele washer, for instance, will save you money and energy with appropriate appliance repair for Miele in Hillsborough.
-Clothes Dryers. Until 2015, there were no Energy Star qualified clothes dryers because dryers remained pretty inefficient users of energy. The advent of better moisture sensors and the addition of heat pumps made dryers efficient enough for Energy Star to take a look.
Today, you have the energy efficiency rating to guide you when purchasing a new dryer.
-Buy a new, Energy Star certified dryer, and you’ll save about $245 on energy costs. That’s not life-changing savings, but the energy savings itself can make a huge difference to the earth in the long run.
-You can expect to use 20 percent less energy with an Energy Star certified dryer than with a non-qualified dryer.
A Few More Tips for World-Saving Appliances
-Rebates. California and most cities and local utilities are serious about reducing greenhouse gasses and conserving natural resources. They’re so serious, in fact, that they’re willing to incentivize you with some pretty alluring rebates. You can see available rebates on PG&E or Energy Star websites.
-Waste Reduction. If you’re buying a new appliance, make sure you dispose of the old one in the most earth-friendly way. For advice about whether your appliance is salvageable in any way, consult your local expert. Techs from your favorite appliance repair company in Hillsborough can help you with this assessment.