Lowering energy bills doesn’t have to mean sacrificing indoor comfort or scaling back home activities. Sometimes energy consumption sneaks up slowly because the appliances that you rely on start to wear out. These appliances can start using more energy before breaking down completely:
- Refrigerator/Freezer. The door gaskets on these appliances are the Achilles heel for refrigerators and freezers. Leaking door seals waste a lot of energy, since they’re constantly letting chilled air enter the room. Besides feeling cold air coming from the doors, frost covering the food in the freezer is another sign of a leaking gasket.
While these gaskets are replaceable, it may not make financial sense to do so. Some cost nearly as much as a new refrigerator. If your refrigerator is 15 years or older, it’s probably time to replace the whole unit rather than pay for new gaskets and their installation.
- Water heater. Water heaters are inherently energy-hungry appliances. Over time, the dissolved minerals in water form hard deposits in the bottom of the tank that slow the heating process, which drives up energy bills. If you notice that it’s making gurgling or bubbling noises or the water is discolored, you’re probably due for a new heater sooner rather than later. The energy efficiency of new water heaters is far higher than older models, and you will save energy by installing a new one.
- Televisions. Great strides have been made in television technology. The latest offer high quality resolution using LED technology that uses small amounts of electricity compared to LCD and plasma technology. Most LED televisions earn Energy Star status, which is a trusted sign of energy efficiency.
- Microwaves. A microwave uses components that do wear out over time. They use a power supply for the magnetron that over time will lose some of its power.
Managing energy bills by keeping your appliances maintained and replacing them as they age will cut your home’s overhead costs, especially your HVAC system. To learn more, contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing, providing HVAC services for Indianapolis homeowners.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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