AC-Appliance Pros Do It Yourself Appliances Refrigerator / Freezer Almost all of today's refrigerators use less energy than those made previously. These units are built with extra-thick foam insulation providing a more energy efficient operation. Choose a temperature setting in a refrigerator between 36°F to 38°F. Choose a setting between 0°F to 5°F in a freezer. Controls numbered 1-9, should be set at 5. Controls lettered A-E, should be set at the letter C. Test temperature by setting liquid on the top shelf of the fresh food for at least 24 hours. Taste and adjust accordingly. Clean the inside with a solution of baking soda and water, one tablespoon per quart warm water. Clean door gaskets with a baking soda water solution. Apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to the door gasket at the hinge side. This helps keep the gasets from sticking and bending out of shape. Turn off "energy saver" switch if moisture forms on cabinet around gasket. Keep coils on the back and bottom refrigerator/freezer clean for optimum efficiency. Replace worn gaskets. Try to limit door openings and length of time they are open, especially in hot, humid weather. Keep refrigerator full for peak performance. If refrigerator does not opreate - No interior light, plug a small lamp into same outlet to check outlet. May be in defrost cycle, wait 30 minutes. If motor operates for long periods - Remove grill and clean condenser. If door is not closing properly - Clean door gasket as instruted above. Ice cubes have odor or taste - Unsealed packages in refrigerator or freezer compartment may be transmitting odor or taste to ice cubes. Poor tasting incoming water, install water filter. Ice cubes too small - water line or filter may be cologged. Cheand clean or replace. If there is water on kitchen floor or bottom of freezer - The drain may be clogged - clean by using a meat baster to force hot soapy water through drain. Dishwashers Maintain a temperature setting as low as possible (140F for dishwasher). Turn off the breaker before lowering thermostat. If the dishwasher has a water heating device that will heat the water inside the dishwasher, turn down the water heater thermostat to 120F. When there is no danger of freezing water pipes, turn off the water heater breaker if you go away for a week or longer. Install specially designed low flow shower heads to save water and save on the cost of heating the water. Look for energy saving features and wash systems, dispensers and rack positions to meet family needs. Use only dishwasher detergent, never laundry or handwashing detergent. Operate dishwasher with full loads only. Run hot water or sink before starting dishwasher to assure the cycle starts with adequate hot water. Repair leaky hot water faucets. One drop a second can add up to over 100 gallons a month. Range Since the electric range accounts for about 3.2% of energy usage, select the size and style of range (or oven and cooktop) that meets the cooking needs and space requirements. Preheat oven 8-10 minutes - only for baked goods. Avoid opening oven door when baking to prevent 20% heat loss. Use range and other heat producing appliance during cooler parts of the day. Never use oven cleaning products on continuous or self cleaning oven surfaces. Start cooking on HIGH, then reduce to LOW when food begins to cook. Using an electric ovnfretngtheoom is very inefficient. Microwave The choice of wattage, features and style of oven depends on the intended use, individual preferences and budget limitations. Microwave cooking can save energy up to 75% over conventional cooking. Do not use scouring powder or scouring pads which can scratch liner. Disposer Operate with cold running water. Turn off disposer then turn off cold water. Laundry Equipment Wash with cold or warm water whenever possible and rinse in cold water. Wash full loads whenever possible. Clean dryer filter before each load. Properly vent clothes driers. Be sure your clothes dryer is vented to the outside. Also ensure that your clothes dryer is vented away from your outdoor unit. How To Read Your Meter A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the common measure for the amount of electricity consumed during a period of time. One kilowatt-hour equals 1,000 watts being used for one hour. A simple formula can help you discover how many kilowatt-hours an appliance uses. Multiply the wattage rating of the appliance by the number of hours the appliance is used to find out how many watt-hours are used (watts x hours used = watt-hours). Divide the number of watt-hours by 1,000 to determine the kilowatt-hours used (watt-hours ÷ 1000 = kilowatt-hours). Multiply the kilowatt-hours used by the cost per kWh to find out the cost to operate an appliance over the specified period. The dials of your electric meter should be red from right to left. Each dial has numbers from "0" to "9". If the pointer is between two numbers, read the lower number. If the pointer appears to be exactly on a number, the only way to be sure it has reached that number is to determine if the dial to the right has completed its revolution, or passed zero. For example: The pointer of Dial #2 appears to be exactly on the 5. However, since the pointer of Dial #1 has not yet reached zero, Dial #2 must be read as a 4. So this meter reads 0749 or 749. Now the pointer of Dial #1 has reached zero, so Dial #2 becomes a 5. This meter reads 0750 or 750. To determine the number of kilowatt-hours used in a month, simply subtact last month's reading from this month's reading. If you don't know which firm to call, ask if the contractor is a member of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA). consumers can call (972)247-5383 or 1-800-260-8041 to confirm the contractor is a member or to locate a contractor who subscribes to the organization's code or ethics. ©2007 AC-Appliance Pros All Rights Reserved 1701 North Greenville Ave. Suite 606 Richardson, Texas 75081 972-664-0055 TACL B00027067E

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