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save energy

Book Reviews

Discover Great Tips in The Home Energy Diet

Check out The Home Energy Diet - Make Your Home Power SmartThe Home Energy Diet: How to Save Money by Making Your House Energy Smart by Paul Scheckel

Paul Scheckel wrote The Home Energy Diet and he is obviously a firm believer in what he is talking about.  He drives a car powered by vegetable oil and lives in a solar-powered home among other things. His book contains some really great information on how to make your home more energy efficient.  The book includes all kinds of graphs and charts to explain energy consumption and he provides explanations that are easy to understand.

Paul provides great tips on using the appliances around your home to maximize energy efficiency.  He answers frequently asked questions such as whether it’s more energy efficient to wash your dishes by hand or use a dishwasher.  According to the book, a study was conducted at a university in Germany.  Volunteers washing dirty dishes in a sink used an average of 27 gallons of water and 2.5kWh of water-heating energy to wash a 12-place dinner setting.  A dishwasher handling the same number of dirty dishes used only 4 gallons of water and about 1.5kWh of electrical energy.  After all the dishes were washed, about half of the dishes washed by the volunteers were still dirty whereas the dishes that were washed in the dishwasher were clean.

For more interesting facts about energy efficiency around your home, check out The Home Energy Diet and do your part in making your home power smart.

September 20, 2009
Household

Buy Energy Efficient Appliances

If your old appliances need to be replaced or you are moving into a new home and need to startbuy energy efficient appliances from scratch, consider the following tips before going on your shopping spree.  By following these tips you will save a lot of money and make your home “green”.

1. Consider buying a convection oven.  They are more energy efficient because the internal fan decreases cooking time.

2.  Buy a front-loading clothes washing machine.  They use less electricity and water than top loading machines and they more adequately spin your clothes, resulting in less drying time.  You also won’t need to use as much detergent for front-loading machines.  Whether or not you end up buying a front-loading or a traditional top-loading washing machine, make sure it has the option for a small, medium, and large load so you don’t waste water and energy if you happen to wash a smaller load.

3.  When purchasing a refrigerator, compare the Energy Star labels to ensure you are buying the most energy efficient model.  Avoid features that will waste energy such as ice and water dispensers.  Fridges with top freezers use less energy than side by side freezers.

4.  Buy a clothes dryer that has a moisture sensor option.  That way your dryer will stop automatically when it senses the clothes are dry rather than setting it on a timer and wasting energy.

5.  Choose an energy efficient dishwasher with the Energy Star label.  Anytime you see Energy Star you know it’s at least 15% more efficient than other similar models.  Look for models with a no –heat drying option and soil sensors.   Some also include other eco-friendly features.

July 27, 2009