Go Green In 2014: Why You Should Replace Your Old Appliances

Replacing older home appliances is one of the most practical and effective steps a homeowner can take to reduce energy consumption. Not only is it great for the environment and means you do your bit to help save the planet it also means you save the pennies by replacing a few main appliances in the home and going for a newer, more energy efficient version.
With the new year looming, why not make it one of your New Year resolutions and upgrade your appliances? Check out the list below to see examples of appliances you should consider investing in.
An Eco Kettle
Kettles actually use a tremendous amount of energy to power them and many of us are guilty of overfilling our kettle, it’s estimated that in the UK, £68m is wasted a year from doing this. By investing in an eco-kettle, it cleverly measures the amount of water required for a single cup of tea or coffee so you don’t have to worry about wastage and you’ll be helping to cut down on your energy costs.
Water Efficient Toilets
Many newer properties will have installed toilets fitted with a ‘short-flush’ option. We use up 30% of our water every time we use the toilet so if you have an older model it makes sense to upgrade. Newer toilets are very competitively priced and you’ll be saving 2 to 3 litres of water every time you flush.
Energy Saving Washing Machines
The most efficient washing machines will use 33litres of water for a standard load; the least efficient machines use 72 litres. This does vary between machines even with the same energy rating so make sure you find out the performance of the washing machine before you buy. Try to limit the amount of times you run a pre rinse cycle and only use your machine on a full load to save wasting water, lowering the temperature can also help to cut energy bill costs.
Eco-friendly Shower Head
It’s well known that having showers as opposed to baths saves a lot of water and is better for the planet. Getting an eco-friendly shower head can help you to reduce water wastage even further by giving the same ‘feeling’ of a power shower, thanks to adding air into the stream of water coming from the shower and it does this using less water than a conventional shower. They are cheaper than most power shower systems and simple to install.
Refrigerator Thermometer
Fridges are not cheap so if you can’t justify purchasing a new one, consider buying a fridge thermometer. They can be hung inside the fridge thanks to the attachment or just placed inside the fridge thanks to its flat base. It can be adjusted to the optimum temperature to tell you when your fridge or freezer is too cold so that you can save valuable money and energy.
30 Minute Timer
It’s estimated that we spend up to 1.3 billion a year every single year by leaving our appliances on standby; this is up to 16% of our household energy usage.
A 30 minute timer when plugged into a multi-socket extension lead automatically turns off the power to appliances left turned on after a 30 minute period. This drastically reduces the risk of fires and other hazards in the home as well as keeping your energy bills lower.  This is particularly useful for things like an iron which can significantly overheat if it is left plugged in unattended.
Eco-Toaster
Toasters waste a lot of energy in the home as they are often left plugged in and as with most conventional toasters do not allow you to toast just one slice at a time. An eco-toaster has a slot that makes this possible which can help you make an energy saving of up to 50%.
Pro Energy Cylinder Cleaner
Consider getting rid of your old vacuum cleaner and replacing it for an energy saving vacuum cleaner. These have different settings depending on whether you’re using the hoover on carpet, flooring or even upholstery which means you get maximum performance while saving 50% on energy.
This article was written by Amy Elliott from Appliance City. The team at Appliance City like to promote a green way of living and believe that inveting in eco-friendly appliances will in time help to save the environment and money. Amy writes for them in her spare time so as to spread the message of green living.

Greener Ways To Dispose Of A Dishwasher

Dishwashers can’t always be repaired and often need replacing. But what do you do with an old dishwasher you want to get rid of in an eco friendly way?

Unless it is broken, the chances are you haven’t given a thought to how you are going to get rid of the old appliance when you’re out shopping for a new one.

But when your new dishwasher arrives for installation, what are you going to do with the old one? Store it in the garage or leave it out on the garden for the neighbours to wag their fingers and disapprove over? Here are your options when it comes to green ways to dispose of your old dishwasher.

Sell It 
If it’s still in working order then you could sell the dishwasher. An old machine to you could be like treasure to someone else. You could try putting an advertisement in the local press, or advertising it on a website. The chances are that someone will take it off your hands quick smart.

Give it away
Assuming again that the dishwasher is in working order, why not try giving it away. No doubt there are plenty of people on your street and in your neighbourhood who would love a dishwasher, but because of other financial commitments can’t afford it. A good will gesture will be rewarded by the happy smiles on their faces.

The Weee Directive 
The Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (Weee) Directive is a European Directive with UK regulations, which aims to recycle and safely dispose of electrical equipment, by assisting the public with environmentally friendly ways of disposing of unwanted or broken electrical items. This does include your dishwasher. Shops that are signed up to the scheme must help customers to recycle their old items for free by paying for the local authority run recycling centre to come and collect the dishwasher from your house at no cost to you, or collecting it for a fee when they deliver your new dishwasher. You’ll notice that a lot of stores offer this option for a few pounds - it is inexpensive and an easy way to ensure your old dishwasher is removed from your home. We advise you to check that the store you are choosing to buy your dishwasher from is a member of the Weee directive when you go to purchase it.

Your Local Authority Tip 
Your council will have a recycling centre and can usually collect and dispose of the dishwasher for you. They often charge a fee for this service. Parts maybe re-usable and the remainder will be disposed of in a safe environment.

A Second Hand Shop
There’s no reason why a second hand shop specialising in white goods would not take an old dishwasher off your hands. Even if there are dishwasher problems with the device, many electrical experts buy and repair old white goods equipment, selling them on for a profit.

Greener waste: How to dispose of your old washing machine

For many consumers, wasting energy is no longer a viable option within our homes. Thanks to the clear and dedicated focus of eco-friendly groups and the Government, reducing your carbon footprint and energy usage is now a common activity.

For those of us concerned about the impact our behaviour has the environment, this focus is incredibly positive but it doesn’t mean that the battle for environmental preservation is over.
Despite the fact that energy efficiency ratings are now provided on all electrical goods there are still people who dispose of their old models incorrectly.

Whilst dumping these into landfill sites might seem more ‘convenient’, this is soon overshadowed by the environmental impacts it could have. Whilst we may not see the effects of our over-zealous waste disposal in our lifetime, it is almost certain that future generations will pay the price for our selfishness.

A greener disposal method is therefore required and that means that households need to pay more attention to what they are throwing out and how. When any household appliance, whether it is a washing machine or a hoover, breaks down there are a few steps which you should follow to make sure it is disposed of correctly:

Step one: Diagnose
Before you do anything with your broken appliance you need to identify what the problem is. There can be many potential causes for breakages, including electrical faults, broken components or even a blown fuse.

If you are unable to diagnose the fault yourself then get a professional to take a look at it. They can even offer you a quote for how much it costs to repair the damage. If you have invested in protection for your appliances then you could even claim these costs back – meaning you won’t have lost a penny.

Step two: Repair
If you can repair washing machine then this should be the course of action you take as it prevents you from generating too much household waste and can also be much cheaper than replacing an entire appliance.

This is especially the case if the damage to the appliance has been caused by a minor fault or component. Replacing these parts is almost guaranteed to be cheaper than a new washing machine and is the ideal way to save money and protect the environment.

Step three: Recycle
If your appliance is deemed as beyond repair then there is only one option left to you: recycle it. Many retailers now offer a collection service for old appliances, meaning that you don’t have to find an appropriate recycling plant yourself.
Whatever you do, make sure you avoid landfill sites and put your old appliance to good use by having it made into something new.

Kate Perkins is a regular blogger from Somerset. A keen eco-warrior, Kate is constantly on the look-out for ways to reduce our carbon footprints. Her blog often focuses on the disposal of kitchen appliances and what you should do when to repair washing machine is no longer an option.