Replace that old refrigerator with energy-efficient models and save

10:16 AM EST on Monday, December 19, 2005

BY PAUL GRIMALDI
Journal Staff Writer

Part eleven of a series

On those infrequent occasions when homeowners are in the market for household appliances, shoppers are most often interested in whether a machine will fit in a certain space or maybe their budget.

But if you've decided that what you really want for Christmas this year is a new refrigerator, why not buy one that saves you money.

An often overlooked aspect of appliance prices is operating costs.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, energy use by refrigerators, for instance, varies widely from a low of abut 600 kilowatt-hours a year to a high of more than 800 kilowatt-hours a year. Based on national average electricity rates, the annual cost to run a refrigerator ranges from $50 to $70.

Multiply that difference by the number of electrical appliances in your home -- from air conditioners to washers -- and you get a sense of how much you can save by choosing energy-efficient appliances.

You can learn about the efficiency of an appliance by studying the yellow-and-black EnergyGuide label it displays.

The FTC requires manufacturers to label refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, clothes washers and a number of other household goods. Among other things, the labels list the estimated annual energy consumption of the model and a range of comparable appliances.

Some models also may feature the blue EnergyStar logo, which means the appliance is significantly more energy-efficient than similar models.

"There are big differences," between EnergyStar appliances and non-rated ones, said Fred Holst, a salesman at S&W Television & Appliance Co. in East Providence. "Most of the manufacturers realize that the market is in energy-saving appliances."

There are few rules of thumb to follow when deciding which appliances to replace, according to Jennifer Amann, a senior associate with the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. Amann is coauthor of the Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, now in its 8th edition.

Journal photo illustration / Kris Craig

In terms of energy use, refrigerators top the list, followed by clothes dryers, clothes washers, televisions, dishwashers and stand-alone freezers.

"It would make more sense to replace the refrigerator than a [clothes] dryer because a refrigerator is a higher energy user," Amann said.

Models that meet the latest federal requirements use 30 percent less energy than those manufactured before 1993.

"Refrigerators are a huge success story," she said.

But choose a unit that's right for your storage needs, she added. "You really do take a penalty in energy consumption with the large units."

She recommends top-mounted models, which use the least energy.

But disposing of unwanted household appliances was once both a chore for homeowners and a bane for the environment.

That's not so much the case any more, Amann said, as appliance recycling programs and energy-efficiency improvements provide a case for upgrading white goods.

"In many cases, you're doing better by the environment by replacing your appliances," she said.

Rather than rid themselves of an old refrigerator, one in five homeowners keep them to store little-used items.

"That's a huge mistake," she said.

Leaving a run-down refrigerator plugged in to cool a few items wastes energy. Better to buy a small EnergyStar-rated compact refrigerator or freezer that can be plugged in only when needed -- like around the holidays when you need to store extra food and drinks for entertaining guests.

In the laundry room, Amann suggests consumers go for front-loading washers. They have the dual advantage of using less energy and less water. Front-loading washers use about 20 gallons of water per load, half of what top-loading models use. Faster spin rates help clothes shed more water, shortening drying times.

"Not only are you worried about the water coming in, you're worried about the water going out," Holst said.

But Amann cautions consumers to not fritter away the money they save from buying efficient appliances on wasteful electronics. "We've made all these improvements in white goods at the same time we're seeing this proliferation of electronics."

A 32-inch TV, with a DVD player, cable box and speaker system can use as much energy as a typical refrigerator, she said.

And don't be complacent about your home computer, she said. Turn off the computer and its peripheral units -- printers and scanners for instance -- when not in use. If they're all plugged into a single power strip, turn off the strip.

Another simple way to save is by unplugging battery chargers when not in use.

Even a coffee maker, or anything with a clock in it, draws electricity while it sits otherwise unused.

"These things waste a lot of energy," she said.

Paul Grimaldi covers retailing and consumer behavior. E-mail him at pgrimald@projo.com