Regularly defrost manual-defrost refrigerators and freezers; frost buildup increases the amount of energy needed to keep the motor running. Don’t allow frost to build up more than one-quarter of an inch.
Frost Buildup
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Appliances
Refrigerator Seals
Replacing the seals on your refrigerator is not hard and can make a big improvement in the aplliances efficiency (and appearance). Replacement seals are often available at many home goods store and through the maker of the unit. One tip for using these replacement seals is to warm them before installing, this removes the crimps that often occur from their packaging. A few minutes in the clothes dryer should do the trick.
Cool Down Cycle
Use the cool-down cycle to allow the clothes to finish drying with the residual heat in the dryer.
Concurrent Drying
Dry one load of clothes immediately after another. This will minimize heat loss, reducing warm-up and drying times.
EnergyGuide Label
The EnergyGuide label gives you two important pieces of information you can use for comparison of different brands and models when shopping for a new refrigerator: estimated energy consumption on a scale showing a range for similar models; estimated yearly operating cost based on the national average cost of electricity.
Cooking Small
Use a toaster oven to cook small meals. A toaster oven uses a third to a half as much energy as a full-size oven.
Door Seals
Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a piece of paper or a dollar bill so it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper or bill out easily, the latch may need adjustment or the seal may need replacing.
Microwave Savings
Whenever possible, use your microwave instead of the oven. Microwaves use less than half the power of a conventional oven and cook food in about one-fourth the time. Ovens also heat up the kitchen, making your cooling system and refrigerator work harder.
Water Level
Match the water level and temperature settings on your clothes washer to the size and type of the load. Don’t waste water by filling the whole tub for just a few small items.
Elevating Appliances
For protection against shallow flood waters, the washer and dryer can sometimes be elevated on masonry or pressure-treated lumber at least 12″ above the projected flood elevation. Other options are moving the washer and dryer to a higher floor, or building a floodwall around the appliances.
The furnace and water heater can be placed on masonry blocks or concrete at least 12 above the projected flood elevation, moved to inside a floodwall or moved to a higher floor.
Furnaces that operate horizontally can be suspended from ceiling joists if the joists are strong enough to hold the weight. Installing a draft-down furnace in the attic may be an option if allowed by local codes. Some heating vents can be located above the projected flood elevation.
Outside air conditioning compressors, heat pumps or package units (single units that include a furnace and air conditioner) can be placed on a base of masonry, concrete or pressure-treated lumber. All work must conform to state and local building codes.
