Glynn County 4-H
Sally Miller is an 8th-grader from Needwood Middle School. She is also an active 4-H’er in Glynn County. Every year, Georgia 4-H puts on a weekend event called Project Achievement. To participate in the event, students must put together a presentation on a topic of their choice and present it to a panel of judges. This year, Sally Miller created her project on Energy Star appliances. Representing Glynn County, she competed against students from all over Southeast Georgia, and won first place in her category. The information she presents in the following article is a useful tool for current and prospective homeowners.
Did you know that the average homeowner spends about $2,200 a year on energy bills, with nearly half of that expense going to heating and cooling costs? Did you know that purchasing an Energy Star appliance can save you more than $75 a year?
Energy Star is a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that helps us to save money and protect our environment with energy efficient products. The program was invented in 1992 to make household products more efficient, and reduce the emissions of greenhouse gasses. Energy Star provides labels for more than 60 companies, including thousands of products for the home and office. All major appliances must meet the requirements set by the Appliance Standards Program, created by the US Department of Energy.
Here are some examples of how Energy Star appliances can save you money each year. Washing machines made before 1998 are significantly less efficient than newer models. If your washer is more than 10 years old, you are paying more than $135 too much each year on energy bills. Energy Star qualified refrigerators are required to use 205kWh less energy than non-qualifying models, saving you $100 a year. An Energy Star qualified dishwasher uses 31 percent less energy and 33 percent less water than a non-qualified dishwasher. If you own a dishwasher made before 1998 you are paying more than $40 dollars extra a year, and wasting more than eight gallons per wash.
You should also make sure that your house is sealed and insulated. If you have leaky or poorly insulated ductwork, you should have that fixed. With poor insulation, your Energy Star efficient thermostat will have to work harder to make your home warm. All appliances have electrical connections, and if you do not tighten all connections, you may find that there is too much electricity going to your appliance. Lubricate moving parts, such as motors so they will run smoothly. You should check your AC, furnace, and heat pump when they are in cooling mode so you can know when it is the right time to change parts. Change the air filters at least every six months to ensure that the air coming into your house is 100 percent clean. Finally, check the oil connections on appropriate appliances, because a loose connection may cause a fire.
Using this information, you can decide how Energy Star appliances can help you and your household.
Did you know that the average homeowner spends about $2,200 a year on energy bills, with nearly half of that expense going to heating and cooling costs? Did you know that purchasing an Energy Star appliance can save you more than $75 a year?
Energy Star is a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that helps us to save money and protect our environment with energy efficient products. The program was invented in 1992 to make household products more efficient, and reduce the emissions of greenhouse gasses. Energy Star provides labels for more than 60 companies, including thousands of products for the home and office. All major appliances must meet the requirements set by the Appliance Standards Program, created by the US Department of Energy.
Here are some examples of how Energy Star appliances can save you money each year. Washing machines made before 1998 are significantly less efficient than newer models. If your washer is more than 10 years old, you are paying more than $135 too much each year on energy bills. Energy Star qualified refrigerators are required to use 205kWh less energy than non-qualifying models, saving you $100 a year. An Energy Star qualified dishwasher uses 31 percent less energy and 33 percent less water than a non-qualified dishwasher. If you own a dishwasher made before 1998 you are paying more than $40 dollars extra a year, and wasting more than eight gallons per wash.
You should also make sure that your house is sealed and insulated. If you have leaky or poorly insulated ductwork, you should have that fixed. With poor insulation, your Energy Star efficient thermostat will have to work harder to make your home warm. All appliances have electrical connections, and if you do not tighten all connections, you may find that there is too much electricity going to your appliance. Lubricate moving parts, such as motors so they will run smoothly. You should check your AC, furnace, and heat pump when they are in cooling mode so you can know when it is the right time to change parts. Change the air filters at least every six months to ensure that the air coming into your house is 100 percent clean. Finally, check the oil connections on appropriate appliances, because a loose connection may cause a fire.
Using this information, you can decide how Energy Star appliances can help you and your household.
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