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Summer Appliance Tips that Will Save You Energy and Money in 2019! 

After a week of temperatures in the 80’s, summer in the Puget Sound has officially made an entrance! For some families, the kids will soon be out of school and activity around the home is likely to increase. You and your family members are likely to be washing more clothes (i.e. sport uniforms), making more meals throughout the day, opening and closing the refrigerator more for that mid-day snack, washing more dishes, and/or simply blasting the AC. In short, your appliances need to be in top shape to keep up with the summer activity!

While some of our best family experiences take place during the summer months, the energy bill is likely to increase. Also, over time, you can expect the performance of your common household appliances to degenerate, and you may not realize that they are slowly failing until it is too late, and they break down from an increase in usage. We’ve developed a list of proactive tips that you can follow to better mitigate the high energy costs (and avoid break downs) that occur when the kids are out of school and actively using appliances in the home.

1: Reorganize the Refrigerator

You are likely to stock up on more convenient food during the summer, and keeping fresh fruits, veggies, and microwavable snacks at hand for the kids is key. However, overloading your refrigerator can cause a substantial increase in your energy bill, as items in the fridge can block the circulation of cold air and it ends up running longer to regulate the temperature.

To avoid this added cost, you can move your refrigerator out of direct sunlight or install a blind or cover over any windows directly shining on your fridge. Also, consider investing in a Samsung refrigerator that has a glass viewing door and/or built-in camera, as they allow you to view the contents of the fridge thoroughly before opening the door.

Another factor to consider are the coils located under the plate of your fridge, or at the back of the refrigerator. These likely have accumulated dust and grime during the Fall and Winter months, and a simple vacuum and rub down will keep your fridge/freezer running smoother.

Additionally, there are several YouTube videos that showcase how to organize your fridge with clear plastic and glass containers that can be bought at your local Dollar store. You can label and organize these containers in a way that limits the amount of time to fridge is open, as well as keeps the fan (air flow) of your fridge and freezer running at an optimal level.

2: Use Alternative Settings on the Dishwasher

Summer season in the Puget Sound brings BBQs, family cookouts, and a whole host of outdoor get-togethers. With this brings sticky, dirty, dishes, utensils, glasses, and more. Wash a full load, rather than a half load and use features such as eco-cycles, cold water settings, and avoid the heated drying cycle. You can also skip the dishwasher all together and use eco-friendly disposable dishes, or hand wash especially dirty dishes to avoid further impacting the dishwasher.

Another tip we’d suggest is to clean your dishwasher.  Start by emptying the washer, then take a damp cloth and clean the interior walls/racks. Next, remove the bottom rack and locate your washer’s filter on the floor of the dishwasher. Remove the filter and clean out the debris with a cloth, or if really impacted a shop-vac.  If your filter is closed, unscrew it to remove any caked-on food or crumbs. After cleaning the filter, get your cleaning agent ready (mix half a cup of salt, half a cup of baking soda, and one cup of bleach) and pour the cleaner into the bottom of the washer. If possible, let this sit for 12-24 hours. Finally, set your empty dishwasher to run on a normal cycle and afterwards, it should run like new!

3: Dry Clothing & Linens Outdoors

Summer brings dry, hot, sunny days – much like the interior of your dryer. Take advantage of the beautiful Washington weather and hang your clothes on a line. Most modern solutions for clothes lines can be researched and bought on Amazon or Googled online. If you’re not a fan of leaving your clothing out for the neighbors to see, put your clothing through the Air Fluff – No Heat cycle. If that isn’t an option for you, consider washing and drying your clothes in the evening. The house will be cooler and the residual heat from your dryer will put less strain on your air conditioning system. We also recommend that you wash your laundry in large, full loads in cold water, which will save you energy (money) with your water heater.

4: Avoid Using the Stove-top or Oven on Hot Days

You obviously can’t completely avoid using your oven and stove top during the entire Summer, but there are alternatives you can use to prevent yourself from using them daily. If you find yourself having to cook on a particularly hot time of the day/month, consider pulling out the grill and cooking outside. If you’re not much of a griller, consider using the microwave instead. Microwave technology has come a long way, and there are several settings and controls that can cook/bake items to perfection without having to turn the large oven or stove on. If you must use the oven on a hot day, avoid opening and closing the door as much as possible, as heat will rapidly escape into your home causing higher energy bills on your oven and air conditioning system. Instead, use the handy little oven light to check in on the food.

5: If You Must Replace – Purchase Energy Star Rated Appliances

Energy Star products are proven to save you money in energy costs, especially over time. When choosing your new appliance, research the Energy Star rating online or instore, and research models through agencies such as Consumer Reports to find the best appliance for your family’s needs and energy usage. You can also qualify for energy usage rebates when purchasing a more efficient unit. For instance Puget Sound Energy offers current appliance rebates on their website:  https://www.pse.com/rebates/appliances

Here, you can not only find rebates on your home appliances, but also help in recycling your old appliances (as well as free fridge and freezer recycling).

We hope you found these Summer Appliance tips helpful, and if you need any assistance getting your appliances ready for Summer, we hope you’ll call us at Puget Sound Appliance Tech for any repairs and servicing you require.

You can contact us online by filling out our appointment form or call us directly at (253)455-2080 Pierce County or (425)243-9482 King County. As always, thank you for your business, and we look forward to serving you and your family!

To make sure that you receive the highest level
of service and expertise any time you need appliance repair be sure to call:

Puget Sound Appliance Tech

(253) 455-2080or (425) 243-9482

KING COUNTY ZIP CODES SERVED:

98126 98133 98136 98134 98138 98144 98146 98148 98155 98154 98158 98164 98166 98168 98177 98178 98190 98188 98198 98195 98199 98224 98251 98288 98354 98001 98003 98002 98005 98004 98007 98006 98009 98008 98011 98010 98014 98019 98022 98024 98023 98025 98028 98027 98030 98029 98032 98031 98034 98033 98038 98040 98039 98042 98045 98047 98051 98050 98053 98052 98055 98057 98056 98059 98058 98068 98065 98070 98072 98075 98074 98077 98083 98092 98101 98103 98102 98105 98104 98107 98106 98109 98108 98112 98115 98114 98117 98116 98119 98118 98122 98121 98125

PIERCE COUNTY ZIP CODES SERVED:

98558 98580 98490 98304 98303 98321 98323 98327 98329 98328 98330 98333 98332 8335 98338 98344 98348 98349 98352 98351 98360 98371 98373 98372 98375 98374 98385 98388 98387 98391 98390 8395 98394 98397 98396 98401 98403 98402 98405 98404 98407 98406 98409 98408 98411 98418 98416 98422 98421 98430 98424 98433 98439 98438 98443 98445 98444 98447 98446 98466 98465 98467 98498 98499 98513