Appliances

The six major appliances – refrigerators, freezers, electric ovens, dish washers, clothes dryers and washers – consume over 30% of the electricity used in an average home. That can amount to hundreds of dollars per year.

These are average energy costs savings an energy efficient appliance will give over its lifetime.

  •  Refrigerators - $600
  •  Dishwashers - $250
  •  Freezers - $100
  •  Clothes Washers - $85
  •  Stoves - $150
  •  Clothes Dryers - $ 375

 The lower the EnerGuide number or rating on the appliance, the more efficient the appliance.

 

 REFRIGERATOR TIPS

 Among all of your appliances, refrigerators consume the most energy.

  • For efficient performance, the temperature in your refrigerator should be between 2 degrees Celsius to 5 degrees Celsius.
  • Refrigerators should be full but not overloaded, as they need air circulation to operate efficiently.
  • Don’t open the refrigerator more often the necessary. The cool air spills out quickly.
  • Test the door seal occasionally to check that it is air-tight.
  • Defrost your frozen food inside the refrigerator. This will keep the refrigerator cool, and saves energy compared to thawing the food in the microwave or oven.
  • If you have an older refrigerator as your "extra" refrigerator, it may be very inefficient to operate. Consider upgrading it to a newer model. In fact, an old refrigerator could cost up to a $100.00 a year more to operate.

 

FREEZER TIPS

 The temperature of any of your freezers should be at –18 degrees Celsius.

  • Freezers are most efficient when they are full, but not overloaded.
  • Keep freezers well defrosted. No more than 7 mm (1/4") of ice should be on your freezer walls.

 

COOKING TIPS

 Your cooking and kitchen practices can save you money. 

  • Microwave ovens, toaster ovens and slow cookers will cook small portions more efficiently than a conventional oven. Microwave ovens consume up to 50% less energy than conventional ovens.
  • Defrosting food in the refrigerator or on your counter is more energy efficient than using the defrost cycle of a microwave.
  • Don’t peek while the oven is cooking. Opening the oven door while you are cooking can waste 1/4 to 1/2 a kilowatt-hour of energy.

 

LAUNDRY TIPS 

 Be energy efficient when it comes to drying your clothes. 

  • Avoid overloading, but remember that drying one full load takes less energy than drying two small loads.
  • Use the correct heat setting on your dryer to match the type of clothing being dried. This will prevent clothes from being over dried. For example, not all types of material require the same amount of heat to be properly dried, therefore, by always using the same setting, you may be using more energy than is required. When possible, hang clothes outside to dry. After all, the most energy efficient clothes dryer is a clothesline.