Have you started making your New Year’s resolutions yet? With 2015 winding down, now is the perfect opportunity to start thinking about your goals and ambitions for 2016. As you start to pen your hopes and dreams for the upcoming year, we want to help you set some easily attainable resolutions. Since we’re your local GTA appliance repair expert, our suggestions will affect the way you use your appliances and will have significant impact on your home, budget, and the environment. In between your notes to travel the world, eat better, and sleep more, make sure to write down appliance efficiency on your list of resolutions.
The major appliances in your home are huge energy users. Fridges, freezers, washers and dryers, dishwashers, and stoves and ovens are always hungry for more and will drain electricity if you let them. Not only will this put a strain on the environment, as they needlessly consume more energy than necessary, but it will put a tax on your budget.
For those who are financially capable, updating your home’s appliances to those that have the Energy Star symbol is an excellent idea. This rating denotes high-efficiency appliances that have met strict technical and environmental specifications. Through a litany of tests and certifications, Energy Star appliance has been proven to reduce energy without compromising its performance. In terms of your fridge, an Energy Star label can save up to 50% of the energy that an older model uses. That 50% saving is a number that’s shared by Energy Star front-loading laundry machines, which also uses 40% less water than older top-loading models. If you’re in the market for new Energy Star appliances for your home, check out the EnerGuide to learn about which brands and models are the most efficient.
Refitting your home with entirely new appliances is quite an expense that you might not have the budget for; but don’t despair. Even if the purchase of a new fridge or washer isn’t in your capabilities, you can still capitalize on energy-saving activities to help your older and less efficient machines run better. We have a long yet simple list of suggestions that can keep your energy consumption (and therefore utility bills) low.
We’ll start with your fridge because it’s one of the few appliances in your home that’s in full operation around the clock. For that reason, it can eat up as much as 11% of your home’s electricity. Keeping the temperature set to 4 degrees Celsius in the fridge and -18 degrees in the freezer is the simplest way to reduce its energy usage. You’ll also want to maintain your fridge in good repair by cleaning its compartments, seals, and vents to ensure no dust or debris is threatening its efficiency. Go ahead and write down a cleaning schedule to make sure your fridge is as efficient as it can be. Make a point to keep your fridge away from any heat sources or walls to guarantee proper air circulation whenever you carry out your cleaning routine.
Next up is your oven and stove. One of the easiest ways to reduce its energy usage is to simply not use it. Your kitchen is full of other appliances – like a microwave, kettle, and toaster oven – that can do the same job with less electricity. So if you only need to reheat leftovers or boil water, turn to your microwave or kettle first before you crank on your stove or oven. When cooking makes it necessary to use your stove, make sure you’re using it properly. Only ever use the right sized burner for the pot that you’re using. You should also only ever open the door when you’re inserting or removing a dish. If you want to check the progress of your meal, keep the door closed and turn on the interior oven light to see.
Whether you have new Energy Star appliances or old relics of a bygone era, the way you use and treat your machines will help improve their efficiency. Ensuring they are in good working order will make sure our suggestions are effective, so it’s a good idea to contact one of our appliance repair technicians to schedule routine maintenance. Our expert repair technicians can make sure any appliance is running at its most efficient. With the help of one of our technicians, your newest resolution of an energy-efficient New Year can be made a reality! So don’t hesitate and call us today.
