Why Buy a Top-load HE Washing Machine

Let’s start with the question what does HE mean? HE stands for high-efficiency in washers. In order for a washing machine to be considered high-efficient, it must follow meet certain criteria and guidelines in regards to how much water, electricity, and detergent it uses. Look for the HE symbol on the machine indicating that it uses less energy, water, and detergent.

HE washers can be found on front-load and top-load washers. Both HE washer styles are efficient with the clothes cleaning performance. Here is a look at why you should consider a top-load HE washing machine rather than a traditional top-load or front-load washing machines.

Better Cleaning, Less Water

Most HE top-loaders are better at cleaning, gentler on fabrics, quieter, and use less water than traditional agitator washing machines.

Lower Cost

Front-loaders, which is a newer technology and more popular, are usually your most expensive option. HE top loading machines give you the benefit of significant water savings as opposed to a standard efficiency top loader, at a fraction of the cost of front load HE units.

Larger Capacity

HE top-loaders do not have agitators which increases the capacity of the unit. You can do less loads of laundry by having more clothes in one load. An agitator top-load washer varies in sizes from 3.2 Cu. Ft. to 4.5 Cu. Ft capacity. A HE top-load washer ranges in sizes from 4.5 Cu. Ft. to about 6.2 Cu. Ft. capacity. Their extended wash cycles allow the machine to provide clean clothing with minimal water use.

No Vibration Problem

Top load HE units spin faster than standard efficiency top loaders leaving your clothes dryer with less time. Their final spin speed is significantly slower than a front-load unit, which decreases the possibility of vibration.

No Mold Issue

Unlike a front-load unit, the door does not have an air tight seal. By leaving the top open, and using an approved washer cleaner once a month, you can virtually eliminate the possibility of mold or mildew better than a front-load washer

ENERGY STAR Qualified

Because HE washers and dryers meet strict energy and water guidelines the machines are considered to be ENERGY STAR Certified. This can save you more money and energy throughout the life of your appliance.

HE washers and dryers are more common now, which makes them a little more affordable compared to when they first came out. They are still more expensive up-front than traditional agitator washers. With the many benefits of HE washers, it will save you energy, water, and time in the long run making it worth the upgrade.

Save Energy this Summer with These 13 Appliance Tips

With the weather getting hotter during summer, it can “shock” you when you receive your electricity bill. There are a few things that you can do to make sure your appliances are running efficiently to save you money and energy consumption.

1. Make sure to have ENERGY STAR- rated appliances. These devices are ranked by the U.S. Department of Energy as using less energy than the standard amount. ENERGY Star-rated appliances use about 20% less energy and can save you more than $270 in your energy costs.

Refrigerators:

2. Make sure not to overload the amount of groceries in your refrigerator. Having tons of items in your refrigerator will require more energy to keep it cool.

3. Don’t keep your refrigerator door open for a long period of time. Also make sure to not open your door repeatedly in a short period of time.  Opening the door will cause the cool air inside to escape and makes the refrigerator motor work harder.

4. Keep your refrigerator temperature in between 32- 40 degrees F. Your freezer temperature should be set between 30-0 degrees F.

Washing Machines:

5. Using cold water when doing most of your washes can save you money and still have your cloths perfectly cleaned.

6. Just like dishwashers, you should make sure that you run full loads because most washers will use the same amount of electricity.

7. Have a front-load washing machine. Front-load washing machines use two-thirds less water than top-load washing machines, reducing electricity and water.

Drying Machines:

8. Selecting to have a faster spin cycle can help reduce less time to dry your cloths.

9. When the weather is hot, you can dry some of your cloths outside on a clothesline or a drying rack to save energy costs.

10. Place your washing machine in a room that is warmer than a cold location like a cold basement. The warmer air going into the dryer will use less energy to heat the air up.

Dishwashers:

11. Make sure to load your dishwasher fully for each cycle. Most dishwashers use the same amount of electricity and hot water for each load whether it’s a full load or half of a load.

Ovens or ranges:

12. Don’t open your oven door frequently to check on your food. The temperature can drop about 25-30 degrees and requires more energy to regenerate the set temperature.

13. Use glass baking dishes as much as possible. Glass retains heat better than other materials. This can cook your food faster and you can even decrease the oven temperature.

What other things do you do to consume less energy in your home? Leave it in the comments section.

5 Things You Never Realized About Your Kitchen Appliances

 

 1. How far does your refrigerator stick out?

Most people don’t realize that their fridge sticks out 6 to 8 inches from their counter top.  This is standard, but if you notice that you are shuffling sideways to get between your island and fridge when the door is open you may consider a counter depth refrigerator. For more details, check out the full guide of buying a refrigerator. 

    2. New French Door Fridge vs. Old Side by Side Fridge

If you have never owned a French Door Refrigerator this is what you have to look forward to.  No more getting on your knees for fresh vegetables, actually being able to fit a pizza box in your fridge or freezer and not at an angle.  No more losing things in the back of your fridge for months until the stench is overwhelming.

    3. How loud is your dishwasher?

Does your dishwasher sound like a jet engine taking off?  Are you tired of running your dishwasher only at night?  With new technology in sound deafening material dishwasher have become so quiet you don’t even know if it is running.  A good rule of thumb is to look for dishwashers 50dBA or below.  Here is a full guide to buying a dishwasher.  

    4. Where to find the serial number on your appliance.

All appliances will have a sticker specifying the model and serial number of the unit.

Refrigerators - most commonly found in the refrigeration portion of the unit either on the upper left or right wall. 

Dishwasher – most commonly found on the outer edge of the door or interior where the door seals with the case.

Range – If you slide open your storage door it will be located on the interior door jam either on the left or right hand side. 

Microwave – Probably the easiest to find just open the door and it will be located on the inside casing.

    5. The cost of running 15 year old appliances.

   In the last 15 years appliances have improved drastically in energy consumption.  With new government regulations as well as new technology it literally pays to buy new appliances.  Take a 15 year old refrigerator for example.  The annual cost of running a side by side refrigerator from the year 2000 is about $190.00 a year!  A new Energy Star Certified model will cost you on average $81.00 a year.  We are talking about a 42% savings.  Over the course of 10 years you could save upwards of $1,100.00 on your electrical bill.  Your new refrigerator will almost pay for itself over its life span.  That is just for your refrigerator.  Imagine the savings on the rest of your household appliances.

Give Your Home an Energy-Efficiency Makeover

In terms of energy, how efficient is your home? You may be surprised at how much money you can possibly save each year by making a few changes to your household appliances and usage. These ten handy home energy tips can put you on the fast track to cost savings and a smaller carbon footprint!

1. Wash clothes in cold water- Many high-efficiency washers are just as effective at washing clothes on their cold water setting as on a warm or hot water setting. Simply switching to cold water can save you up to $63 a year, according to the US Alliance to Save Energy.

2. Save up to 10% on cooling and heating costs with a programmable thermostat- Having a thermostat that you can program to different temperatures throughout the day can save on your energy bill by cutting down the run time of your furnace or air conditioning unit. For an ultra-modern experience, check out Nest, a “smart thermostat” that can be controlled from your mobile device and adapts to your daily schedule by “learning” when to turn heating and cooling systems on or off.

3. Use your window treatments- For a more low-tech approach, close your blinds on sunny summer days to keep out the heat, and open them in the winter to let good old fashioned solar power warm your house.

4. Turn off all lights and electronics when not in use- Even the most innocuous household items, such as a toaster or a coffee maker, can use up surprising amounts of energy when left plugged in all day. These small appliances, nicknamed “vampire appliances” for their tendency to suck energy out, are even bigger offenders if they have a clock on them. Leave them unplugged until it’s time to use them.

5. Invest in newfangled light bulbs- CFLs and LED lightbulbs may seem like the less cost-effective option at the hardware store, but they can save you a bundle on the back end. Energy-efficient lightbulbs reduce energy use up to 80% from traditional light bulbs.

6. Always buy Energy Star- Look for the Energy Star label on your appliances. This is the government’s seal of approval for energy efficiency, guaranteed to save the consumer up to 30% on energy bills.

7. Change your shower heads- Using a low-flow shower head or faucet can save on water bills, which in turn can put extra cash in your pocket and make your home more eco-friendly. Best of all, low-flow shower heads have come a long way since their inception, and are now very high-quality and hardly make a difference in your morning shower.

8. Change those dirty filters- In order to keep the A/C and furnace from having to work extra hard to push out air, change the filters once every three months. This will also benefit you by reducing the number of allergens in the air.

9. Turn down your water heater- Reducing the temperature to 130 degrees F will make little to no impact on the hot water in your household, but will save you a considerable amount of money and energy. Another good tip is to invest in a special blanket for water heaters, which helps retain the heat in the unit.

10. Insulate your home properly- Sealing cracks around windows and doors and insulating your home can save up to 20% on energy bills by keeping heated or cooled air inside the house where it belongs. As everyone’s dad says, we’re not paying to heat/cool the outside, after all!

Source: US Alliance to Save Energy

Why Upgrade Your Appliances?

Growing up, my dad would always say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This is how I’ve been taught to ‘save money’ and take care of the things I have so they’ll last forever. Unfortunately, Dad, times have changed.

Refrigerators seem to be that appliance that people use until it falls apart; because of my Dad’s philosophy, I have always been a firm believer that upgrading is the last resort. But what people don’t know, is that by keeping that 10 year old refrigerator and passing up the new models, they are actually spending more money and settling for less. The main difference between an old and new refrigerator is the electrical consumption. With better temperature control, new features, more space, and lower noise levels, these new refrigerators are much more efficient, and save you money at the same time!

By consumers ‘indulging’ in new, upgraded appliances, energy use has dropped over 50% between 1987 and 2010. Appliances that have especially helped save energy are refrigerators with the Energy Star rating. Why is this so important? “Refrigerators that earn the Energy Star rating are about 15% more energy efficient than models that meet the minimum federal energy efficiency standard.” That’s 15% more energy saved on top of the amount of energy being saved with a new model refrigerator! If that’s not enough to encourage one to upgrade, switching to a new model is also better for the environment. Using energy efficient appliances in your home will significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that have been a growing concern.

So, if it ain’t broke… that doesn’t mean you can’t upgrade!

Content courtesy of: Manila Standard Today & Energy Star

Get Ready For the First Energy Efficient Dryer!

You’ve seen and heard about HE washers; shoot, you probably have one! But Whirlpool has gone above and beyond to create the first HE dryer.

What does it mean for a dryer to be Energy Star-qualified? To be considered energy efficient, these HE dryers need to use approximately 20% less energy on average than dryers that meet the federal minimum efficiency standards for 2015. Dryers have been adapted to this by including advanced moisture sensors which prevents over drying and is easier on your fabrics. HE dryers are also advanced because of the Ecoboost setting which improves the method for turning the heaters on and off during the cycle depending on the load. This is where you can save most of your dryer’s energy!

Great it saves energy, but “How much money does it save?” is what you really want to know. Energy Star says to expect to save about $18 a year in electricity costs. Over 12 years, that’s more than $200 – it doesn’t seem like a lot but consider saving that amount of money on top of saving the life of your clothes. The Whirlpool Duet WED87HED electric dryer is the ‘ying’ to your HE washer’s ‘yang’ – it may not seem like you’re saving much now but using these high efficiency laundry sets  not only save you money in the long run but can take better care of your clothes and in turn, take better care of your wallet.