Appliance Guide 5/4/2001 11:01 AM Page 2

Appliance
Guide
Turn the Page
To Turn On
Energy Savings
Appliance Guide 5/4/2001 11:01 AM Page 3

Using Appliances
Efficiently, And Tips
When Shopping For
New Ones
When talking about appliances, a
big issue is how much it costs to
run them. You can cut the energy
usage of your appliances and
save money with the tips in this
booklet. All of them are practical
suggestions, simple to use, and
proven effective. You’ll be pleased
to see how just changing little
things can add up to big savings.
We’ve also included some
pointers for buying new appli-
ances. It’s important to get a good
deal, but your best buy may not
be the appliance with the lowest
price. The real cost of your new
appliance includes purchase price
and also the operating costs for
as long as you own it.
For example, if you’re buying
a refrigerator, models of the same
size can vary quite a bit in price.
The cheaper refrigerator might
cost $50 to $70 more each year
to operate. On average, refrigera-
tors have a useful life of about
15 years, so the unit that was
cheaper to buy ends up costing
$750 to $1,050 more to operate.
In the long run, a more energy-
efficient appliance can be the
better value.
This guide provides some
useful information for getting
the most efficiency out of your
existing appliances and making
informed decisions when choos-
ing your new appliances.
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Index
2 Understanding Electrical Usage

Understanding Energy
Efficiency

3 EnergyStar® Appliances

Getting the Most From Your

Existing Appliances, and
Value-Smart Shopping Tips
When Choosing New Ones

3 Refrigerators
■ For best efficiency from
your refrigerator
■ Some things to consider when
buying a new refrigerator

4 Air Conditioners
■ For best efficiency from
your air conditioner
■ Some things to consider when
buying a new air conditioner

5 Clothes Washers
■ For best efficiency from
your clothes washer
■ Some things to consider when
buying a new clothes washer

5 Clothes Dryers
■ For best efficiency from
your dryer
■ Some things to consider when
buying a new dryer

6 Dishwashers
■ For best efficiency from
your dishwasher
■ Some things to consider when
buying a new dishwasher

6 Small Kitchen Appliances

7 Home Entertainment

7 Lighting

8 Computers and Peripherals

9 Best Efficiency, Best

Performance, Best Value

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Understanding To help consumers, the govern-

ment requires manufacturers to
Electrical Usage put EnergyGuide labels on refrig-
Use of electricity is metered and erators, freezers, dishwashers,
billed by kilowatt-hour, often written clothes washers, central air con-
as kWh. Kilowatt-hour is a unit of ditioners, room air conditioners,
measure for consumption of elec- water heaters, and other appli-
tricity. It’s the amount of electrical ances. Here’s how the labels look:
energy needed to run a 1,000 watt
device for one hour. But the same
amount of electrical energy can
also be used in longer or shorter
periods of time. For example: A
■
B
1 kilowatt-hour = runs a typical
1,000-watt hair dryer for 1 hour
■ 1 kilowatt-hour = lights a C
typical 100-watt bulb for 10 hours D
■ 1 kilowatt-hour = runs a typical
14-cu.-ft. refrigerator for about
10 hours
The thing to remember is that one E
kilowatt-hour of electrical energy
can be used fast or slowly,
depending on the appliance. That’s
also useful for understanding
efficiency because electricity can
be used more slowly or quickly by
the same types of appliances. All EnergyGuide
labels show:
Again, let’s use refrigerators
as an example. Comparing two A The manufacturer, appliance
14-cu.-ft. refrigerators: type and model number
■ Refrigerator #1 – consumes B Features and capacity or size,
1 kWh every 10 hours so you can compare models
■ Refrigerator #2 – consumes C Estimates of the appliance’s
1 kWh every 11 hours annual energy use. The lower the
number, the more efficient the
The second refrigerator is more appliance, and the less it will
efficient because it runs for one cost you to run.
extra hour on the same amount
of energy. D The range of efficiency for
similar models
E An estimate of the annual cost
Understanding to run this model. Use this for
Energy Efficiency comparison purposes only, because
your actual cost will vary.
Energy-efficient appliances
don’t look very different. This is The efficiency claims are not
because most of the differences just hype. Manufacturers must
are on the inside. Motors, pumps, use standard test procedures
valves, compressors, or electronic developed by the Department of
“smart” sensors that can improve Energy to prove the energy
efficiency don’t usually change consumption and efficiency of
the product’s looks. their products. So when you shop
for an appliance, be sure to look
for the EnergyGuide label.
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EnergyStar® But some very inefficient older

models may represent as much
Appliances as 30% to 50% of the monthly
Some appli- electric bill. If your existing refrig-
ances also erator is more than 20 years old,
feature the buying a new one will save more
EnergyStar logo like the one than $100 in annual energy costs.
shown here. These products have
been designed to provide out- For best efficiency
standing energy efficiency, so you
cut usage and lower your energy from your refrigerator:
costs. Be sure to check out ■ Position refrigerator away from
A whether EnergyStar appliances direct sunlight, and heat sources
meet your needs. For more infor- like stoves.
mation about EnergyStar appli-
ances, dial toll-free 1(888) STAR- ■ Open door briefly, and close
YES [1(888) 782-7937] or visit promptly to keep cold air in.
D www.energystar.gov on the Web. ■ Store food in the refrigerator
so air can circulate, but in the
freezer, pack items tightly.
Getting the Most From ■ Set refrigerator temperature
Your Existing Appliances, at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and
and Shopping Tips When freezer temperature at 0 degrees.
Choosing New Ones ■ Make sure rubber gaskets on
When buying appliances, always doors provide a tight seal.
check the EnergyGuide label for a ■ Dust or vacuum condenser
comparison of energy efficiency with coils to keep them clean.
other models. Consider EnergyStar
appliances for maximum efficiency
and lowest operating costs. Some things to
consider when buying
Refrigerators a new refrigerator:
In most residences, the refrigerator ■ Models with freezer compart-
uses more electricity than any ment at the top use 7% to 13%
other appliance. It can add up to less energy than side-by-side
nearly 15% of total energy usage. models.
■ Manual-defrost models use
approximately half the energy of
automatic-defrost refrigerators.
To benefit from this superior
efficiency, you must clean them
manually when frost builds up to
more than 1/4 inch.
■ Automatic ice makers and
through-door dispensers increase
energy use by 12% to 14%.
■ Models with an “anti-sweat”
heater use 5% to 10% more
energy.
■ Don’t buy a refrigerator that’s
larger than you need.

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Air Conditioners Some things to

An average air-conditioned home consider when buying
consumes more than 2,000 a new air conditioner:
kilowatt-hours each year for
cooling. High-efficiency A/C units ■ Air conditioner capacity should
can reduce energy consumption be right for the room. Bigger is
by 20% to 50%, and the most not better. A smaller unit running
efficient air conditioners on the for an extended period operates
market are up to 70% more more efficiently, and it’s better at
efficient than older room air dehumidifying the air than an
conditioners. oversized unit cycling on and off
too frequently.
For best efficiency from ■ Measure the room you need
your air conditioner: to cool. Store personnel will help
you choose the right capacity
■ Turn off your air conditioner air conditioner. Here is a
when there’s no one home. For a general guide:
cool interior when you return, buy
a timer that can turn on the air
Approximate A/C capacity
conditioner half an hour before room size in Btu/hr
you get back.
■ Keep the air conditioner’s 10’X15’ 5,000
filter clean. 16’X28’ 10,000
■ If you’re using only the room
25’X40’ loft 18,000
where your air conditioner is locat-
ed, shut the doors to that room.
■ Be sure that your home’s
■ Keep interiors no cooler than electrical system can meet the air
78 degrees. It’s an efficient conditioner’s requirement. Some
setting that’s also comfortable. models operate at 120 volts, but
Moving to a colder temperature others require a 208-volt source.
consumes more energy and costs Check to make certain the new
more money. Going to 75 degrees unit will be properly powered.
costs 18% more, and a 72-
■ Air conditioners with built-in
degree setting costs 39% more!
timers and thermostat setting
■ Once a room is cool, shut off features will help you trim
the air conditioner and use fans energy usage.
to keep comfortable. When the
room warms up, cool it off with
the air conditioner, then use fans
again. Using this method can cut
air-conditioner running time by
20% to 40%.

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Clothes Washers Clothes Dryers

Most of the energy used by After refrigerators, clothes dryers
clothes washers is for heating the are the second-biggest con-
hot water used to wash clothes. sumers of electrical energy in
Only about 10% is used by the most homes. Older dryers gener-
electric motor during wash and ally run for a timed interval set by
spin cycles. the user. Even if clothing is dry,
the unit continues running until
For best efficiency from time runs out. Newer dryers have
sensors that improve their per-
your clothes washer: formance and energy efficiency.
■ Wash full loads rather than
several partial loads. For best efficiency
■ Use warm or cold water rather from your dryer:
than hot. ■ Run full loads rather than
■ If you must wash small loads, several small ones.
choose a low water level. ■ Keep lint filters clean.
■ Avoid overdrying clothes.
Some things to
consider when buying
a new clothes washer: Some things to
consider when buying
■ Washer designs include front
loading and top loading. Front
a new dryer:
loaders generally conserve water ■ Clothes dryers with moisture
and are more energy-efficient, but sensors are the most efficient.
are also more expensive. There are two types of sensors.
One senses moisture inside the
■ Choose a washer with a water-
drum, and it’s the most efficient.
level selector, so smaller loads The second type senses moisture
use less water. in the dryer exhaust. Compared to
■ The pre-soak option feature timed drying, the exhaust sensor
saves energy. will save about 10%, and the
drum sensor will save about 15%
■ Choose a washer with faster of the energy used.
spin speeds. Higher speed means
better water extraction, less ■ Dryers with a “cool-down” or
drying time. “perma-press” cycle finish drying
with cool air for the last few min-
utes. This feature saves energy.
■ If it meets your needs, consider
a gas dryer. It’s more efficient,
and will dry a typical load of
laundry for about half the cost of
an electric dryer. 5
Appliance Guide 5/4/2001 11:01 AM Page 9

Dishwashers Small Kitchen

Older dishwashers generally run Appliances
longer cycles than newer models, Small kitchen appli-
and they also need more water ances like toasters,
to clean. Older models typically blenders, mixers,
use 8-14 gallons of water, and food processors
compared to 7-10 gallons per are not required to
cycle for newer units. have EnergyGuide
labels. You can still
For best efficiency determine which
from your dishwasher: appliances will use
less energy by
■ Wash full loads rather than checking the
smaller partial loads. electrical rating.
The rating may be
Some things to shown in two ways. One is a
listing of wattage and voltage,
consider when buying for example 1875 watts, 125
a new dishwasher: volts. The other shows amperage
■ Dishwashers are available in and voltage, for example 5 amps,
compact capacity and standard 125 volts.
capacity. Compact models use Generally speaking, the lower
less energy, but they hold less. the wattage or amperage,
Choose the size that’s right for the less energy the
your needs, because running a appliance con-
compact unit more frequently sumes. When
can actually use more energy comparing
than cleaning a full load in the different
standard models. models, select
■ Dishwashers that offer a choice the one with the
of cycles are more efficient. When lower wattage or
dishes are lightly soiled, these amperage ratings
models allow you to use “light if it meets your needs.
wash” or “energy-saving” cycles.
■ Dishwashers that let you
choose heat drying or fan drying
are more efficient. The fan-drying
cycle takes a bit longer but uses
much less energy.

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Home Entertainment Lighting

Home entertainment equipment In many residences, lighting
includes an enormous selection of can make up a big share of the
video and audio gear. This equip- energy bill. To use lighting
ment is not required to have efficiently and to trim energy
EnergyGuide labels, but some usage, consider these steps:
general information can help you
■ Replace ordinary light bulbs
make wise energy choices.
with compact fluorescent bulbs
■ Television sets generally con- that give the same light but use
sume energy in proportion to the 40% to 60% less energy.
size of their screens. The bigger
■ Use 25- or 40-watt bulbs for
the television set, the greater the
usage when it’s on. places where some light is need-
ed, and use brighter bulbs only
■ Audio systems built up of indi- for reading and work areas.
vidual components generally tend
■ Avoid leaving lights on when
to consume more power than
integrated units. you’re not home. Use timers to
turn lights on and off. They save
■ Nearly all electronic compo- money and improve security.
nents consume electricity even
■ Keep fixtures clean. Dusty
when they’re off. In the average
home, 90% of all the energy used fixtures don’t give all the light
to power home audio products is you’re paying for.
used while the equipment is off. ■ Replace ordinary light switches
Only 10% of the energy is used with dimmers. Every time you
while the equipment is actually set light levels at less than full
turned on. brightness, you save energy
■ When choosing your equipment, and money.
look for models that allow you to ■ Install motion sensors. They
disable the “instant-on” feature. turn lights on automatically
■ Consider EnergyStar home when people are present, off
entertainment equipment for maxi- automatically when rooms
mum efficiency and lowest operat- are unoccupied.
ing costs. For example, EnergyStar ■ Use night lights when a little bit
TVs use only 3 watts of power of light is enough. They use very
when turned off, compared to 12 little energy, and cost very little
watts for conventional sets. to operate.
EnergyStar VCRs use less than
4 watts of power when turned off,
compared to ordinary VCRs that
can use up to 13 watts. For com-
bination TV/VCR equipment, the
EnergyStar units use less than 6
watts of power compared with up
to 20 watts for ordinary models.
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Computers and
Peripherals
There is a very large selection of Turning computers on and off daily
computers and peripheral equip- does not damage them or shorten
ment available from many manu- their useful lives.
facturers. This equipment does
■ Check to see if EnergyStar
not have EnergyGuide labels, but
there are some operating sugges- computers and peripherals meet
tions that can help save energy your needs. They are designed to
when using computers. Also, provide the same functionality as
some computers and associated other models, but use considerably
peripherals are EnergyStar prod- less energy.
ucts, which means they use less
energy and cost less to operate.
■ Shutting off peripherals like
printers or scanners when they’re
not needed saves energy com-
pared to leaving them on in
“sleep” mode.
■ If the computer needs to be
left on, but unattended for long
periods, energy can be saved by
turning off the monitor.
■ Screen savers do not save
energy. In fact, running screen
savers will not only draw power
for monitors, it may also keep
the computer from entering
standby mode.
■ Computer games left running in
the background while multitask-
ing will not allow the computer to
enter “sleep” mode even if the
game is paused.
■ When computers will not be
used for extended periods, for
example, overnight, they should be
turned off. When a machine is left
on around the clock, it uses more
energy, sucks up dust, and is
vulnerable to power surges.

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Best Efficiency,
Best Performance,
Best Value
Today’s amazing technology
makes appliances more useful
and reliable than ever before.
By being energy-smart when you
use your appliances or shop for
new ones, you can make the
choices that will give you the
best value.
Even with up-to-the-minute
technology, the most important
factor in energy efficiency is
you. You have the ability to
make significant reductions in
energy usage, and you won’t
need to make drastic lifestyle
changes. No technology can do
as much good as your decision
to be energy-conscious. Be
energy-smart!

Con Edison
4 Irving Place
New York, NY 10003
1(800) 75–CONED
www.conEd.com

©2001 Con Edison, Inc. All rights reserved

Printed on recycled paper 4/01 968-7864

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Appliance Guide 5/4/2001 11:01 AM Page 1

New York, NY 10003

4 Irving Place