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Man, does my family need new appliances. We have a 20-year-old clothes washer and even older dryer. There’s an ancient dehumidifier in the basement that pulls a constant 800 watts when it’s on. (And it’s on for much of the summer.) Recently replacing one old fridge with a new one saved us several bucks a month on our utility bills. But we can’t afford to replace everything else right now, except for that clunky old dehumidifier.

There are ways we can save energy now without a big investment in new appliances, though. Many of these tips come from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Savers Booklet.

If you're looking for new appliances, stick to products that carry the Energy Star label.

And if you’re interested in buying efficient new appliances, look for those with the Energy Star label that certifies higher energy efficiency. A good place to start is the DOE’s Major Appliance Shopping Guide.

Throw Cold Water on that Wash

Wash three loads of clothes a week in cold water, and save about $25 to $60 a year in energy costs. Just switching from hot to warm water can cut a load’s energy use by half. If looking for a new washer, seek Energy Star models that use bout 50 percent less energy and 15 gallons of water per load, instead of 32.5. Consider front-loading washers; top-loaders use 90 percent of their energy just to heat the water.

What Dryer?

Dry your clothes outside if you can. When shopping for a dryer, look for dryers with moisture sensors that stop loads when they’re dry. And empty that lint filter after each load!

Good News for Kitchen Duty

Use an efficient dishwasher instead of washing by hand—especially if you pay for water service. A good dishwasher will save water and the energy required to heat the water.

Scrape and don’t rinse dishes prior to loading, unless for dried-on foods. Wash full loads and let the dishes air dry.

Tame that Fridge

Check the seals on your refrigerator doors. Close it on a piece of paper, and if you can pull the sheet out, it’s time for new seals—or a new fridge. Don’t overcool the fridge, either: Recommended temperatures are 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit for the fresh food compartment and 5 degrees Fahrenheit for the freezer. Wrap and cover foods and liquids stored inside, and the compressor won’t have to work as hard. Also, regularly frost manually defrosting fridges.

Efficiency is Cool

If you’re running an old room air conditioner, you might quickly recoup the cost of  a newer, more efficient one with the savings on your electric bill. For single room air conditioning units, look at the EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio). More efficient models will have a EER of 9 or above for room units and 14 or above for central air systems. Make sure a unit is properly sized to your space. A bigger air conditioner than you need will waste energy. If you can’t upgrade to a more efficient air conditioner, set the temperature a little higher to save money—and use fans. (See Five Easy Energy Savers: HVAC)

Smart grid appliances, like this washer and dryer from Miele, can save money by monitoring utility rates and operating when electricity is cheaper.

A Peek at the Future

We’ll soon be able to buy smart appliances, which can communicate with two-way smart meters from electric utilities, a part of the ongoing smart grid initiative. That’s a lot of smarts, but what does that mean to you? The smart appliance can read a variable, time-of-use pricing signal from the electric utility and delay a cycle until the cost of electricity is cheaper, saving you money.

Steven Castle is a contributor to Square Footage.

Steven Castle

Contributor to Square Footage

About the Author: Steven Castle is the cofounder of GreenTech Advocates, a resource for energy efficiency professionals, and is the managing editor for Electronic House magazine. Steve is a Continue reading...