Energy Saving Tips #2
There are many things that can be done around the house to lessen the impact of spiraling energy costs that sap your household budget. Follow these suggestions and you will save money.
*It is more economical to use one large bulb than several small bulbs. For instance, a 100-watt bulb gives as much light as six 25-watt bulbs but uses less than 2/3 the power.
*Keep your freezer full since all the frozen items will keep other items cold, but do not pack your fridge.
It needs room so that air can circulate around the food.
*Cool hot foods before putting them in the refrigerator or freezer. Also, be sure all moist foods are covered since high humidity requires more energy.
*Keep the drapes open during the day to take in the heat from the sun, but shut them at night to keep out the cold.
*Take short showers instead of baths.
*Use your dryer efficiently. Keep the lint filter in your dryer clean and dry loads one after another so that less energy is needed to warm up the dryer.
*Wear layers of clothing instead of turning up the thermostat in the house. For every degree you lower the thermostat, you save 3% on your heating bill. Try a hooded sweatshirt, lightweight sweaters or slacks made of closely woven fabric.
*Insulate your hot water heater and the hot water pipes to keep the water hot.
*Iron your clothes when they are still damp. It saves on drying time and you do not have to use steam.
*Replace incandescent lights that are on for 3 or more hours with compact fluorescent lights. They last up to 10 times longer and cost one quarter the amount to operate.
*Dust light bulbs and fixtures to improve light output. A dusty bulb will give off up to 50% less light. Always turn off the light when you leave a room.
*Fill up the dishwasher before using it. You'll use the same amount of energy and water for a half full load as you would for a full one.
*Consider replacing very old appliances, such as refrigerators. Newer appliances offer energy-saving features that will more than make up the initial investment.
*If replacing aging appliances is not an option, try cleaning the appliance thoroughly and replacing any worn parts. Cleaning the coils on the back of the refrigerator allows air to circulate more freely and helps the refrigerator maintain an even temperature. Defrost refrigerators and freezers regularly. Frost works as an insulator forcing the appliance to work harder to maintain proper temperature.
*Ensure that refrigerator door seals are tight.
Put a piece of paper between the door and refrigerator and after shutting the door, if the paper pulls out easily, replace the seal. Cleaning the coils in the back once a year will help it run more efficiently.
*Always load the dishwasher fully and properly, and turn off the "heat dry" feature. When the dishwasher has completed its final rinse, wait for the steam to settle, and allow the dishes to air-dry (crack the door for about 30 minutes); or hand-dry the dishes as you put them away. This can save a significant amount of the energy used to heat the dishes dry.
If you do need to wash a smaller load, take advantage of the "Light Wash" cycle present on most dishwashers.
*Remember that hotter is not always better. You can wash all but your most soiled colors in cold water; for heavily soiled colors, use warm water instead of hot. Most whites can be washed in warm or cold cycles, as well. Avoid small loads, even if the washer has a small setting.
Conversely, avoid overfilling the washer, as clothes will not be thoroughly cleaned and may require a second, water-wasting washing.
*Line-dry clothes whenever possible ? not only does this save energy, but your clothes will last longer. A quick five-minute tumble in the dryer with a quarter fabric softener sheet will leave your clothes soft and fresh smelling. To help clothes dry more quickly in the dryer, toss in a few dry hand towels ? they "soak up" the extra moisture and can substantially decrease drying time.
*Your hot water heater may represent a hidden treasure chest of savings.
Purchase and install a timer, which turns the heater on and off at preset times, according to your family's hot-water needs. Reducing the temperature of the water heater to 150 degrees (do not go below this temperature, as your clothes and dishes won't be adequately cleaned) saves energy and reduces the risk of children being scalded.
*Put a plastic jug filled with water in the water tank of the toilet to decrease the water usage. Do not use a brick or anything that could fall apart and disintegrate.
*Install a single-control shower valve that lets you preset the water temperature so that you do not waste as much water when you are making hot and cold adjustments.
Make sure you try to incorporate some or all of the above suggestions into your daily life. Using these tips can put extra money in the bank for you every month..
Small Appliance Parts
If you really think about it, it's the small appliance parts that make your everyday life so much easier. You wake up in the morning and you use an oven toaster ? those are small appliance parts working right there.
In the late afternoon in the office, you pour yourself some coffee from the coffeemaker ? those are small appliance parts working again.
Indeed, most of our day is spent depending on small appliance wonders, and it's only right that we learn to use them safely and that we prolong their useful lives by taking care of them. Below are some useful tips.
Follow safety instructions.
Never forget to read the manufacturer's handbook, because it contains pertinent information about the care and use of your small appliance and its parts. Be extra careful with small kitchen appliances ? not all of them can get wet. Never plunge small kitchen appliances in dishwasher water, for example, unless the handbook tells you that it's safe. Negligence...
Small Appliance Parts
Appliances > Small Appliance Parts
Invisible Causes of Water Damage
If you want to prevent water damage in your home or office, you must first learn where to look for and what are the different causes of this kind of damage. This article covers the invisible causes of water damage, those that are a little harder to detect by simple do-it-yourself inspections. There is additional material about the visible causes of water damage that you need to read in order to fully understand the subject. A good understanding of the subject will not only provide you with great techniques to prevent water damage but also will help you save money and will keep your house in good shape, preserving its value for many years. While you can control some of the causes for damage, others cannot be predicted and therefore cannot be prevented.
Plumbing:
Plumbing equipment usually develops leaks due failures in joints or hose attachment.
Internal wall leaks are even harder to discover and can cause major damage.
Pipes
...
Appliances > Invisible Causes of Water Damage
Driving Without The Wires
At home, one of the things that we would like to own are those appliances and gadgets that sure could work without having to plug them right up. If they are portable or if they run on batteries, then, they would be mostly easy to sell and can be easily found in homes.
Now it looks like such a fad is also taking over the automotive world. You may not think so much about this for all you are focusing your attention on right now are your car's Ford Crown Victoria parts for you really wanted to give your vehicle that extraordinary exterior look. But if you were really into mobility and all, then you may be very much interested in the new range of gadgets that have been coming out.
These may be the kind of things you would want to give you and your passengers a totally different driving (and riding) experience.
A couple of days ago, Unwired Vehicles...
Appliances > Driving Without The Wires
Mashita Electronics Adds Exclusive Online Distributor, "Solutions" for Watt-Minder, Appliance Cost and Current Meter
Mashita Electronics announces the selection of "Solutions?" online retailer as the newest distributor of the "Watt-Minder" Appliance Cost & Current Meter. Vickie Desofi, Manager of Catalog, and Internet Sales for Mashita Electronics lauded the venture as an important step in the introduction of a new product into the consumer market. Solutions? is currently the exclusive online retailer for the Watt-Minder 90100G."The Watt-Minder is an innovative product", says Desofi, and it requires a trusted marketer like Solutions to carry this type of product to the consumer. The Watt-Minder measures the consumption of electrical appliances and presents the cost by the hour, month, and year.
"The potential benefits are two-fold", explains Desofi first, the consumer can get an understanding of the cost of appliance operation using variables such as timer settings, temperature settings, and over all appliance efficiency.
Secondly, as consumers set, use, and replace appliances the combined...
Mashita Electronics Adds Exclusive Online Distributor, "Solutions" for Watt-Minder, Appliance Cost and Current Meter
Appliances > Mashita Electronics Adds Exclusive Online Distributor, "Solutions" for Watt-Minder, Appliance Cost and Current Meter
Small Appliance Parts
If you really think about it, it's the small appliance parts that make your everyday life so much easier. You wake up in the morning and you use an oven toaster ? those are small appliance parts working right there.
In the late afternoon in the office, you pour yourself some coffee from the coffeemaker ? those are small appliance parts working again.
Indeed, most of our day is spent depending on small appliance wonders, and it's only right that we learn to use them safely and that we prolong their useful lives by taking care of them. Below are some useful tips.
Follow safety instructions.
Never forget to read the manufacturer's handbook, because it contains pertinent information about the care and use of your small appliance and its parts. Be extra careful with small kitchen appliances ? not all of them can get wet. Never plunge small kitchen appliances in dishwasher water, for example, unless the handbook tells you that it's safe. Negligence...
Small Appliance Parts
Appliances > Small Appliance Parts