Energy Savings Around the Clock

If we were to stop and really think about it, we would be amazed by the number of appliances that can be found throughout each of our homes. Many of these appliances remain on, or at least plugged in, around the clock. The question is, how much energy is being used to keep these appliances running?

The chart below, found on www.energy.gov, gives us an idea of how a refrigerator might compare to a desktop computer in the amount of electricity that is used. Even though a refrigerator uses about 3 times the electricity, it is not an appliance that we are willing to go without bookkeeping .  This being said, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to see if it’s time for a change . Depending on the age and type, refrigerators can use more energy than needed. And for an appliance “running around the clock” that can be expensive!

When purchasing new appliances be sure that they have been ENERGY STAR qualified. For example, “ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators use up to 40 percent less energy than the conventional models sold in 2001 and at least 15 percent less energy than models built to current federal standards“. (energystar.gov) If you are going to change out your old refrigerator, check with your utility to see if they have a recycling program. They may come by your home and not only pick up your refrigerator for you but also pay you some money back for recycling!