Shopping for Appliances: Tips to Minimize Your Utility Bills

Shopping for appliances can be part of a plan to upgrade a kitchen/laundry area or as a necessity brought on by the breakdown of a dishwasher, refrigerator or washing machine. Either way, there are several characteristics to look for in each appliance type during the decision making process that can minimize operating costs as well as your utility bills.

• Refrigerators – In the typical household, the refrigerator will likely be the appliance that consumes the most energy to operate. While new refrigerators are far more efficient with energy usage than older models, buying the appropriate size for your household can ensure that your savings are maximized. According to ENERGY STAR, which certifies appliances that exceed federal efficiency standards, buying a refrigerator with the freezer compartment on the top can reduce energy consumption even further.
• Washing machines – Look for a washing machine that uses water efficiently to save money on your water bill and to reduce the amount of electricity required for hot and warm wash cycles. An ENERGY STAR rated washer will use approximately half of the water and energy versus an older machine. Going with a front loading washer, as opposed to a traditional top loading machine can save even more money. Lastly, detergents are now available with formulations that optimize cleaning in cold water, which can reduce the total energy used during a wash cycle by up to 90 percent.
• Dishwashers – Look for a dishwasher that has options for less water usage when wash loads are light on residues. Generally speaking, water saving options will reduce water consumption, the energy used for heating and shorten the time of the wash cycle to optimize efficiency. An “Air Dry” option can save more money by using circulated air as opposed to heating the load for drying.

New appliances, especially those carrying ENERGY STAR ratings, can save substantial amounts of water and electricity. By following the steps listed above, you can tack on additional savings that can minimize your utility bills.

How Convection Ovens Work

“Convection” is defined as the transfer of heat via circulation caused by external factors. The term is commonly used in meteorology to describe the vertical movement of warm air masses and in cooking refers to the equalization of heating temperatures in an oven, which is usually facilitated by a fan in the rear of the compartment.

Using a convection oven solves one of biggest challenges in cooking; uneven heating in the oven compartment that results in the bottom and the corners of baked dishes getting browned first while the center and top require more time to be completely cooked. If you’re considering the purchase of a convection oven, there are several different types to choose from, with different methods of equalizing temperatures.

 * Convection – A standard convection oven will have heating elements that are similar in design to non-convection options with a fan in the rear of the compartment to transfer and equalize heat.

* “True” convection – A true convection oven incorporates the heating element with the fan on the back wall of the oven so that generated heat can immediately start circulating throughout the oven. This design offers uniform temperatures and is ideal when cooking on several racks simultaneously.

* Reverse air convection – Rather than having the fan blowing outward to the oven, reverse air convection pulls air from the oven, runs it through the heating element, and then pushes the heated air through holes in a baffle, to diffuse the heat source and keep temperatures consistent throughout the compartment.

Choosing the best convection oven option for your kitchen is a matter of defining your cooking/baking style. While the standard method of convection will work very well in household sized ovens, true and reverse air convection systems may deliver better results when cooking with larger ovens on multiple racks.

3 Tips for Helping Yourself and the Environment in the Laundry Room

Doing the laundry, especially when measured by the time in which the washing machine and dryer are in use, is one of the most energy and water intensive activities that take place around the house. With the release of soap and dirt filled water throughout the wash cycle, this chore effects the environment negatively as well. Fortunately, there are several ways you can reduce your utility bills related to doing your laundry while also lessening the effects on the environment.

These steps include:

* Upgrading – If you have a washing machine with an agitator in the middle of the basin, you are using a traditional style machine that probably uses over 40 gallons of water per load. At 300 to 400 wash loads per year, the average amount for a household, that adds up to between 12,000 and 16,000 gallons of water per year. New models, whether front loading or top loading, use less than half of the water required by older machines. You can also cut your energy use by heating less water per load.
* Going cold – Cold water is effective on most stains, with the exceptions being oily or greasy ones. Using cold water washes drastically reduces energy usage as heating water creates the biggest demand for electricity during each cycle.
* Experimenting with drying times – One of the most common energy wasters in drying clothes is using default settings that continue the cycle well after clothes are dry. Test your drying times to see how long different materials take to dry and use timed drying to end the cycle when the load is dry.

It’s not often that saving money and helping the environment go together. By following these tips you can do both while saving time as well.

Avoidable Kitchen Remodeling Expenses that Bite into Your Budget

The budget that gets dedicated toward a kitchen remodel is usually substantial and tends to grow as unplanned expenses crop up. While some unplanned expenses are part of the territory of a remodel, there are others that occur due to haste, impulse and lack of preparation.

Here are a couple of mistakes that can turn into expenses that bite into the budget of your kitchen remodel:

• Failing to plan for the cost of installing the incoming appliances – Omitting the cost of installation is usually the result of assuming that each appliance will simply be slipped into place moments after delivery. While some appliances can be installed in this manner, like a free-standing refrigerator, a cook top with a wall mount oven will most likely incur an expense that will increase if the location is not equipped with the right hookups.
• Not getting accurate measurements – There are two sets of measurements that need to be done with precision; the dimension of each appliance that will be installed and the space that each one will occupy. Incorrect measurements in either case can result in costly changes to counter tops that need to be re-cut and cabinetry that must either be moved or re-sized to compensate for an appliance that is either too big or too small.

With some preparation, discipline and knowledge of the mistakes that can bite into your budget, you can bring your new kitchen in under budget with great appliances that fit your lifestyle. The money you save might even get you out of the kitchen and out on town so that someone else can do the cooking and cleanup for you.

Thermador Gas Ovens Then and Now

Thermador, which was founded in 1916, has long been an industry leader with Thermador gas ovens setting new standards for the category since the invention of the first wall oven and cooktop in 1947. Since that time, Thermador has modernized the line by introducing stainless steel to residential appliances, for example, while adding technological advancements on a regular basis.

Technological advancements include:

• The first high-power super burner with an output 11,500 BTU’s
• Thermador gas ovens set industry standards again by introducing the “Extralow burner”, which cycled gas flames on and off to reduce heat output to 200 BTUs per hour.
• In 1998, Thermador introduced patented “Star Burner” system for use with professional ranges and cooktops. The revolutionary star shaped burner configuration delivers 56% more heating area than standard round burners covering the same surface area.

Today’s Thermador gas ovens reflect both the company’s innovative past and its current standing as one of the industry’s highest regarded ranges. Part of Thermador’s success lies in the simplicity of using these ovens, which do not offer as many features as other competitors in the category. Additional positives listed in reviews on Thermador gas ovens are the high-quality appearance presented by continuous cast iron grates and the solid finish of the oven.

Other mentions include:

• A exterior that stays cool while cooking at high temperatures
• Oven racks that are well-built and slide in and out with ease
• Burners that boil water rapidly
• Even heating and simmering
• Continuous grates on the cooktop which make changing burners or taking pots/pans off the heat easy
• A convection option for both baking and broiling
• An easy to start self-cleaning cycle

These characteristics make Thermador gas ovens a popular choice among residential and commercial users that prefer reliable performance combined with a no-frills approach to cooking anything from soup to soufflé’s. For these enthusiasts, the Thermador cooking experience is a pure one, where the person doing the cooking creates meals without the bells, whistles, and sometimes distractions commonly found on other feature-laden ovens. For more information on Thermador gas ovens, visit: http://jessupsappliances.com/

The New Appliances at your GE Dealer

The new appliances at your GE dealer continue to evolve with new innovations that add convenience while saving time, resources, and energy. Let’s take a look at some of the most significant advances made in categories across GE’s extensive product line.

GE Gas Ranges

GE gas ranges simplify and/or speed up your cooking tasks with five burners configured to provide flexibility and a variety of cooking options. Features include:

• Heavy-duty grates that cover the cooktop - This makes moving pots and pan to different burners a breeze.
• A reversible cooking surface that can grill meats on one side and cook pancakes on the other - This fits perfectly over the oval burner in the center of the cooktop for balanced cooking without hot spots.
• PowerBoil burners that can boil water quickly
• Simmer burners that deliver a low and consistent heat for the slow cooking of sauces

GE Refrigerators

The new GE refrigerators are built with elegance and style and loaded with technological advances. Features include:

• BrightSpace – This new technology lights up both the refrigerator and the freezer, eliminating the frustrating searches in dimly lit compartments.
• Dual evaporators – This feature splits evaporator work between the refrigerator and the freezer, allowing for the tailoring of separate environments. This keeps food the refrigerator fresh for extended periods and reduces defrosting in the freezer.
• Autofill water dispenser – This feature allows for hands-free filling of water glasses, coffee pots, thermoses, etc. with a sensor that shuts off water when the vessel is full.

GE Dishwashers

GE dishwashers are packed with cleaning advancements get rid of hardened food on dishes, pots, and pans. New features include:

• New and improved wash arms that have increased washing power by 65%.
• Strategically placed jets aimed silverware baskets – These high power jets strip hardened food off of silverware making it ready to go straight from the dishwasher to the table.
• The Piranha – This rotating jet breaks up food left on plates, leaving them clean and ready for the next meal. 

These innovative kitchen appliances can be found at your local GE dealer. For more information, visit: http://jessupsappliances.com/

The Latest on the New Whirlpool Duet Washers and Dryers

The new versions of Whirlpool Duet Washers and Dryers carry on Whirlpool’s tradition of delivering upscale machines with unique features that add convenience, energy savings, and water conservation. These features include:

• Precision Dispense Ultra – This feature senses the size of each wash load and dispenses exactly the amount of detergent and other additives necessary for the best cleaning result possible. An owner can actually fill the dispenser with the equivalent of 12 wash loads worth of detergent knowing that each load will use the right amount of detergent every time.
• Dynamic Venting Technology – This feature allows for loads to stay in the washer for extended periods of time by continuing to tumble at regular intervals for up to twelve hours. This feature eliminates the need for repeat washes if loads are forgotten or stay in overnight.  
• The Advance Moisture System – This feature uses built-in sensors to measure temperature and the moisture levels of the load in the dryer, which reduces shrinkage and fading. 
• Eco Boost – Eco Boost monitors wash and dry loads and lowers water temperatures in the washer and air temperatures in the dryer whenever possible. This results in the cleanest laundry possible combined with water and energy savings.

The newest line of Whirlpool Duet washers and dryers combines efficiencies found in front loading machines with technological advances that maximize savings in water and energy usage, translating into lower monthly bills. Additionally, timesavings can be realized with the Dynamic Venting Technology, which negates the need to wait for wash loads to finish so that they can be moved immediately to the dryer. This technology keeps wash loads fresh for hours, allowing for time to leave the house without the worry of having re-washing a load.

Lastly, Whirlpool Duet washers and dryers are legendary for their reliability. Their durability, efficiency, and money saving features are the reason that consumer magazines recognize this appliance line on a regular basis as a best buy in various categories. For more information on Whirlpool Duet washers and dryers as well as the rest of the Whirlpool line of appliances, visit: http://jessupsappliances.com/