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Energy Efficient Appliances- Newer is better

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They say technological advancements have dramatically improved the efficiency of appliances, meaning replacing a 10-year-old refrigerator can translate into major savings in energy bills. It also significantly reduces the home’s “carbon footprint,” a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced.

“We know … that there’s a lot we can do in our homes to improve efficiency and reduce climate-changing gases,” said Gary Connett, director of environmental stewardship for Great River Energy. “We know that, through lighting and appliances, there’s a substantial amount of energy that could be saved.”

Home appliances have come a long way in the past few decades.  For example, a typical refrigerator manufactured today uses 70 percent less energy than one made in the 1970s.  A new model with the EnergyStar rating is more than 90 percent more efficient.

Today’s refrigerators and freezers have more efficient compressors and motors as well as better insulation and door seals, said Tony Evans, spokesman for Electrolux Home Products, one of the world’s top household appliance makers. Its St. Cloud plant manufactures freezers.

Replacing appliances can be a major expense. Most people tend to keep theirs for longer than 10 years, Evans acknowledged.

Bob Regan, co-owner of M & H Appliance of St. Cloud, said most of his customers are buying appliances to replace ones that don’t work anymore, or for a new home. “Very few” are replacing functioning refrigerators and dishwashers just to save energy costs, he said.

“Appliances are not an item that you replace for fashion,” Regan said. “It’s kind of a utilitarian kind of thing.”

When customers do decide to replace an appliance, they are considering energy savings, he said. But the higher cost of highly efficient products can be tough to take, especially if the buyers are not planning to stay in a home very long, Regan said.

Many utility companies offer rebates for buying EnergyStar products, he said. Those can make the higher price tag easier to swallow, he said.

If you are considering a new fridge, you might want to check out this link: New Refrigerator-Sun Herald

Thanks to the Saint Cloud Times

299 Bananas = New Stereo?

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Can this be true?

In 1986, Silo (a chain of home electronics stores) ran a television commercial in 23 markets nationwide, offering stereos for “299 bananas.” They never thought anyone would take them at their word; after all, “banana” is a widely accepted, if playful, term for greenbacks. Who could possibly mistake one for the other? Thirty-two customers held the retailer to its unwitting word – they showed up bearing loads of the yellow fruit and demanding the store keep its end of the bargain.

Check it out at snopes.com and find out what happened to all those bananas.

Washing Your Washer?

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Whirlpool has just announced the release of cleaning tablets designed specifically for cleaning high efficiency (HE) washing machines.  These tablets called Affresh, are designed to remove mold and mildew from inside the washer.  Whirlpool claims that due to the efficient design of HE washers, they are more prone to mold and mildew residue. 

 They also mention that all manufacturers recommend monthly cleanings.  Well, I just checked the manual that came with my Bosch Nexxt washer and it specifically says that the inside should not need cleaning and if for some reason descaling(which is not mold and mildew removal) is needed, proceed with caution and follow the product instructions carefully.

I have noticed that the inside of the washer remains damp after every use and that could develop into a smelly problem, but if I leave the door open for a couple hours and let it air out, everything is fine.  I have had the same machine for almost two years and it smells just fine.

I suppose if the problem exists these tablets might be worth a try, but I would suggest prevention first, and then if necessary, be sure to follow the instructions carefully.

Recall:Toshiba Recalls AC Adapters sold with Portable DVD Players Due to Burn Hazard

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Name of Product: Toshiba AC Adapters Sold with Portable DVD Players

Units: About 142,000

Distributor: Toshiba America Consumer Products LLC, of Wayne, N.J.

Hazard: The AC adapters can fail, causing the portable DVD player to overheat, posing a burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Toshiba has received two reports of minor damage to the bottom of the DVD player. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves the AC adapter sold with the Toshiba portable DVD player Model SD-P1600. “Toshiba” and ADPV16 can be found on the side of the adapter. “Toshiba”, Model SD-P1600, and the serial number can be found on a rating label on the bottom of the cabinet for the DVD player.

Sold at: Consumer electronics stores nationwide from January 2005 through April 2006 for between $200 and $230.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the AC adapters immediately and contact Toshiba Customer Solutions for a replacement adapter.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Toshiba Customer Solutions toll-free at (877) 290-6064 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.tacp.com

The Right Appliance for You

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Do you find that you are drawn to a certain brand of appliance again and again?  Did your mother always rely on one brand of washer and dryer?  Whirlpool is aware of consumers conscious and unconscious preferences for specific appliances.

For every Whirlpool Corporation brand – including Whirlpool®, Maytag®, KitchenAid®, Jenn-Air®, Amana® and Gladiator® GarageWorks – there is a unique brand identity that is defined using proprietary consumer research about preferences, lifestyles and values. Whirlpool Corporation uses this research to make tough, strategic decisions about the kinds of product innovations, features and designs it will offer to consumers.

Each of Whirlpool Corporation’s branded products is designed to meet the specific needs and preferences of consumers from a psychographic standpoint. What’s important to one consumer may not even occur to another,” said Michael A. Todman, president, Whirlpool North America. “For instance, the consumer who buys Maytag brand focuses on reliability, so the durability of internal nuts and bolts means everything. The time-starved nature of the Whirlpool brand consumer means placing greater value on getting more done quickly, so the brand’s focus is timesaving features.”

Some other Whirlpool insights into how they, and we view their large family of brands:

  • For 100 years, the Maytag brand has represented strength and lasting durability
  •  With a common-sense approach to life, Amana brand consumers believe in creating a pleasant atmosphere in their home. Amana consumers want quality and style at an affordable price.
  • KitchenAid brand consumers enjoy cooking with others, savoring the journey of making great food with great friends and family.
  • The Jenn-Air brand appeals to a consumer who loves to entertain, has uncompromising taste and pays great attention to detail.

So, the fact that your mother might have insisted on a Maytag washer because she knows they are durable is exactly what Maytag (remember they’re Whirlpool in disguise) wants her to think.  It’s up to Whirlpool to build machines that uphold the reputation. 

If you’d like to read more about the varieties of appliances available from these Whirlpool brands, you can do so here

Green Light to Hidden Energy Costs?

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I have often thought that the little green lights on the computers, monitors and printers in my home office were handy little night lights but today I started seeing them differently. Warren Swil writes in the Los Angeles Times Opinion Section about the tremendous amount of energy that is wasted by leaving appliances on in what is commonly called sleep mode.

In June 2005, British Environment Minister Elliot Morley reported that electrical equipment in sleep
mode used enough energy per year to emit about 800,000 tons of carbon. That’s just for the 60 million or so Britons; multiply by five for the United States. The U.S. Department of Energy has estimated that by 2010, the portion of each utility customer’s bill consumed by appliances in standby mode will reach 20%.

The article goes on to suggest doing an inventory of your home to see how many of those little green, red and blue lights are glowing day and night. I did a quick survey of my house and found 17 lights including the answering machine and one each for the oven, microwave and DVD clocks. (I never even went upstairs where I would find at least two more clocks glowing red.)

Go ahead, read the article here and then go through your house and see how much those little lights are costing you and the environment.

Style in the Hood

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When we bought our house about three years ago, we replaced all the kitchen appliances.  It was very necessary as far as I’m concerned since the kitchen was equipped with top- of-the-line 1960 copper colored, oven, cooktop, dishwasher (okay, maybe that was installed in the ’70s) and fridge.  The problem now is we lost our momentum before getting to the hood.  So, I look daily at a nonfunctioning, out of style hood that I regularly bang my head on.  The people who owned the house before us were quite petite and I am about 5’9″, so their idea of just the right height and mine are not the same. 

I’ve been thinking again about getting the hood replaced and although, because of my height, I have mostly considered very basic nonintrusive styles, The Pacific Daily News has me reconsidering the idea.  Although the article mentions that some people are looking more for “appeal and appearance than functionality,”  it is possible to find both.

To read more

Recall: IonizAir Table Top Air Purifiers

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: IonizAir(tm) Table Top Air Purifiers

Units: About 83,000

Importer: P3 International, of New York, N.Y.

Manufacturer: Leaven Enterprise Co., of Taiwan

Hazard: The air purifier’s cartridge can overheat, posing a risk of fire.

Incidents/Injuries: P3 has received 10 reports of purifiers melting or catching fire. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled air purifier is a tabletop model that is about 6″ x 3 1/2″ x 11 1/4″. The unit has a removable cartridge with a silver-colored handle. The recall involves model number P4620 with lot numbers beginning with either 03 or 04 or having no lot number. The lot number is located on the bottom of the air purifier. No other models or lot numbers are included in this recall.

Sold at: Various retailers nationwide including mail-order and Internet retailers from January 2003 through July 2004 for between $60 and $90.

Manufactured in: Taiwan

Remedy: Consumers should stop using and unplug the recalled air purifier immediately, and contact the firm for a free replacement cartridge.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact the firm toll-free at (888) 734-0449 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.getnewcartridge.com

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08012.html