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Attainable sustainability: Read on to learn helpful tips and tricks when shopping for modern, energy-efficient appliances.
Energy-efficient appliances are quickly becoming the standard option for homeowners worldwide. The right appliance can save on utility bills and energy consumption and drastically reduce our impact on the environment. While updating your kitchen can be a costly endeavor, making the initial investment to switch to green solutions will generate big benefits in the long run.
From selecting an eco-friendly fridge with ice makers and ENERGY STAR-certified appliances to renewable energy sources, you will be able to transform your home into an energy-efficient unit with a reduced carbon footprint and more efficient functionality.
Choose Smart Appliances
While it is possible to get energy-efficient appliances that don’t connect to smart applications, many experts say that app connectivity is a valuable feature to include when selecting eco appliances. By having these smart features at your disposal, you are able to gain a better understanding of how your appliances work, how much energy and water they consume, and how you can effectively make changes should you choose to reduce your usage further.
Additionally, having the ability to make adjustments as needed throughout the day straight from your phone makes it easy to do from the comfort of your couch or while you are away from your home for any period of time. This can allow your appliances to work more efficiently, reduce your utility bills, and enable you to recognize any potential issues that may arise instantly.
Opt for Updated Technology
Buying secondhand or used appliances can initially save you money and prevent an appliance from making an immediate trip to the landfill. Still, it is highly unlikely that these older models are as energy-efficient or eco-friendly as newer models on the market. Many up-to-date features significantly reduce energy usage and water waste and can only be found in new options.
Many companies understand the importance of incorporating green features without compromising on capacity or design and are building home and kitchen appliances that are not only kinder to the environment but are also higher quality and more precise than ever before.
Look for ENERGY STAR Certification
One of the simplest ways to make better purchases when switching to eco-friendly kitchen appliances is to look for products that are ENERGY STAR certified. The program is a government-backed initiative that promotes energy-efficient products so consumers can make better purchasing choices that reduce their spending and environmental impact.
Products that receive the certification have been tested and confirmed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by meeting specific performance targets. For people wanting to go one step further, ENERGY STAR has assigned certain products with a ‘most efficient’ designation, indicating their ability to deliver cutting-edge efficiency and technological innovation.
Choose the Correct Size
Choosing the right-sized appliance to suit your unique needs is a vital part of making more environmentally conscious decisions around your home. For example, selecting a washing machine or dishwasher that is too big will often lead to you running half-empty cycles, making it far less efficient than smaller appliances that can run at full capacity. Similarly, a full refrigerator is more efficient than constantly running a half-filled fridge.
Because appliances are categorized by size, large and small versions of the same appliance may carry the same energy rating. However, the larger model will use far more electricity to run. To make the best purchase, look for the model with the best energy rating for the size you specifically need.
Select Renewable Energy Sources
An essential part of making your home more energy efficient is considering how your appliances are powered. Selecting electric, solar, or thermal-powered options allows you to take a big step forward in building a more environmentally friendly setup, as these energy sources are both renewable and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and your general carbon footprint.
Furthermore, should you have the initial capital needed to complete the installation process, adding solar technology and panels to your home will boost the overall value of your property, slash your electricity bills, and promote a sustainable way of living.
Energy-Efficient Dishwashers
Dishwashers are considered to be among the most energy-hungry appliances in the kitchen. It is crucial only to run your dishwasher with a full load and select an eco-program to reduce unnecessary energy usage and water waste. Typically, the eco-program will utilize a cold wash to bypass the need for additional energy to heat the water used.
Make Laundry Day More Efficient
Depending on the size of your family and your level of motivation, laundry day can feel like an all-day event. But, selecting washers that are energy and water-efficient will reduce your energy and water bills, regardless of how much laundry you find yourself working through.
Experts recommend only doing laundry when you have enough for a full load and washing at a low temperature to minimize the amount of energy needed to complete your chore.
Furthermore, tumble dryers are a massive culprit when it comes to energy usage. Aside from selecting a model adorned with an energy-saver label, it is important to find an option that includes sensors that indicate when clothes are dry and to avoid using the machine unless absolutely necessary.
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