The appliances in your home that consume the majority of your energy include clothes dryers, washing machines, refrigerators and air conditioners. Appliances that are designed to be energy efficient help consumers save money by reducing their energy consumption and also help to reduce the impact they are having on the environment. Greenhouse gases and pollutants are released from everyday items that are not required yet are left running, like the computer you have at home or at your office that never gets turned off. It was estimated that in 2006, 70% of fossil fuels were used to create electricity contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Home users need to look at the ways in which they consume energy to reduce their energy use, as up to 20% of greenhouse gas emissions came from residential sources. They can do this through reducing their waste by using reusable grocery bags or using less gas emitting forms of transportation.

Turning off your lights in rooms that are not being used is a good way to reduce your electricity consumption; it is not the largest use of electricity though, it only accounts for around 5-10 percent of the overall home electricity use. Refrigerators use the majority of energy in the home, up to 17 percent, with older models using a lot more. To reduce your energy consumption it would be a viable option to upgrade your old refrigerator to a new Energy Star rated model. The Energy Star is a federal campaign to help consumers find appliances that can help them save a considerable amount of energy. In conjunction with the Energy Star rating, there are some other methods that you can help save energy with your refrigerator. Make sure that all door seals clean and tight, do not position the refrigerator near heat sources, such as ovens, do not leave the door open for extended periods, and prevent frost build up.

To help lower your energy consumption when washing clothes, use a cycle that only uses cold water, and run full loads. Running a cycle that uses hot water can contribute up to 90% of electricity used for the washing machine. There are Energy Star washing machines available for purchase also. Front loader washing machines are more energy efficient as are machines that have a water level controls, so that you are not washing in too much water therefore wasting electricity.

Air conditioners contribute up to 5% of electricity consumption in the United States according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The ACEEE recommend that before running air conditioning to cool your home, that you reduce heat “sources” by ensuring that you have proper insulation, tinting your windows, and removing items that give of heat. Do not let your air conditioner run when you are away from the home. Ensure that you keep doors and windows closed when your air conditioning is running to reduce the heat in the area that you are trying to cool, therefore reducing how hard your air conditioner has to work and keeping your energy consumption at a minimum.

By: Alex Francis

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