The average family loses more than $6,500 a year in wasted energy, according to Consumer Reports. But a few changes could save you money and help the planet.
Paul Hope with Consumer Reports said that regularly cleaning your dishwasher filter, wiping down the gasket and not pre-rinsing the dishes can save you cash.
“People really do waste money by not doing those little things that improve efficiency,” Hope said. “Most dishwashers actually have a soil sensor built in to see how dirty the dishes are going in. When you pre-rinse, you’re actually fooling it into thinking the dishes are cleaner.”
Additionally, you can keep your stove in shape by cleaning spills fast and checking that the flame is blue.
“That means everything’s working like it should,” Hope continued. “If it’s burning yellow or orange, that’s a pretty good indication that you have a clogged burner or something wrong with one of the burner tubes.”
If you typically store items on top of your fridge, that wastes energy.
“It can actually interfere with the fridge’s ability to dissipate heat,” Hope explained.
Hope said the ideal fridge temperature setting is 37 degrees. He added that your food will last longer veggies are kept in the crisper drawer and meat is kept on the bottom shelf where it’s coldest.
Consumer Reports also found that electric mowers are more efficient, better for the planet and will save you money in the long run.
“For years, gas was really the gold standard with outdoor tools, and that’s changed within the last few years,” he said. “Over time, there’s potential to save thousands of dollars by just taking care of the appliances you have.”
It also may be a good time to upgrade to more energy-efficient appliances for some tax credits, courtesy of the Inflation Reduction Act.
