Washington, DC — The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) has compiled some simple energy savings tips for those looking for ways to cut their energy bills. For instance, replacing an eight-year-old refrigerator, dishwasher and clothes washer with new appliances of average efficiency will save about $95.00 per year in energy bills due to the fact that these three appliances combined account for a 43% decrease in energy consumption since 2000. And replacing an eight-year-old clothes washer alone will save more than $60.00 in electricity costs and nearly 5,000 gallons of water per year. Additional savings can be obtained by purchasing ENERGY STAR appliances.

Other energy-savings tips from AHAM include the following:

• If you are replacing your refrigerator, do not use the old refrigerator as a second refrigerator. This will not yield energy savings. Properly recycle the appliance. To find recycling options in your area, call 1-800-YES-1-CAN.
  
• Allow hot foods to cool before placing them in the refrigerator, and always cover foods that may release moisture in the refrigerator.
  
• Limit opening the refrigerator and freezer doors. Label foods or use clear food storage bags to easily identify foods.
  
• Scrape, but do not pre-rinse, dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Dishwashers do a great job of cleaning soiled dishes.
  
• Take advantage of a dishwasher’s “eco” option, which reduces water use, or use a no-heat, air-dry feature.
  
• Use load-size settings. If washing a small load of clothing, be sure to change the load setting. Use cold water settings whenever possible.
  
• Always clean the lint filter on the clothes dryer after each use. A clogged filter will reduce dryer performance.

More information on energy savings can be found on AHAM’s website, www.aham.org.

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