Better Appliance Buying
KEVIN McCLINTOCK

With few exceptions, a brand new home will probably be one of the most expensive and time-consuming purchases a family will ever have to make.

While certainly not as costly to the pocketbook as a new home in the hills, a sparking blue swimming pool or even a new Buick, home appliances nonetheless are hefty purchases in themselves. And once they're in the fold and hooked up, they need to be maintained.

According to Leona Hawks, extension housing specialist for Utah State University Extension, "the typical American homeowner pays up to $1,500 per year to use, care for and maintain major appliances." And that $1,500 is added atop the initial purchasing price.

Worse, if you choose an appliance from an unrecognizable manufacturer, and you choose not to purchase a warranty, then a long litany of woes or a short life span can make such poor decisions irritating - not to mention costly.

In the end, folks "may end up spending more than if they'd just bought a more expensive (appliance)," said financial advisor Michael Hendricks.

The cost of owning a home appliance, Hendricks said, has three components: the initial purchase price, the cost of any repairs and maintenance, and the monthly cost to operate it.

DISHWASHERS - The efficiency of a dishwasher is measured by a term called the energy factor. It is somewhat

similar to

the miles per

gallon for a car, but

in this case the measure

is cycles per kilowatthour of electricity. The minimum allowed energy factor rating for standard capacity dishwashers is .46. About 80 percent of the total energy used by dishwashers goes towards heating the water. The best way to improve the efficiency of a dishwasher is to reduce the amount of water needed to clean the dishes. A dishwasher can become clogged with food particles with constant use. Proper maintenance of your dishwasher will ensure optimal cleaning and efficient wash cycles. Particular components that may require attention include the gaskets, drains and any movable parts.

WASHER and DRYERS - Almost all energy used by clothes washers goes toward heating the water. Only about 10 percent or less of the energy is used by the electric motor that runs the clothes washer.

Therefore, the best way to improve the efficiency of a clothes washer is to reduce the amount of hot water needed to wash the clothes. Improving washer efficiency can improve dryer efficiency, as well.

The amount of moisture left in your clothes after the spin cycle will affect how hard the dryer must operate to dry the clothes.

Dryers work by heating and aerating clothes. The efficiency of a clothes dryer is measured by a term called the energy factor. It is somewhat similar to the miles per gallon for a car, but in this case the measure is pounds of clothing per kilowatt-hour of electricity.

Remember, a smaller washer may be more efficient for small households. But if you have a large family and have to do multiple loads in a washer that's too small for your needs, you could lose energy savings.

Also look for washers with adjustable water levels and faster spin speeds, which reduces dry times. Purchase a gas dryer rather than an electric dryer if possible.

REFRIGERATORS - A good way to keep your 'fridge humming nicely along is to clean the coils and drip pan. Refrigerator coils are located in the rear of

the refrigerator. You

can simply vacuum

the vents and coils to

clean them.

Dusty coils have to

work harder to cool down

the interior and contents of the refrigerator. The drip pan of the refrigerator should also be cleaned. The pull-out drawer is located beneath your refrigerator.

In automatic defrost models, the water from the defrost process flows out a drain in the floor or the refrigerator and into a pan where it sits until evaporating. Food particles can be carried along and clog the drain or be left behind to rot.

The gaskets are the seals that keep the cold air in - and the warm air out - of your refridgerator and freezer. The gaskets should last the life of the refrigerator if properly cared for. All you need to do to keep them in good shape is wash them down with soapy water.

For optimum performance, maintain refrigerator temperature between 36 and 38 degrees. Freezer temperature should be kept between 0 and 5 degrees. Freezers need to be defrosted on occasion for optimum performance. Those without an automatic defrost capability should be cleared of ice that has built up on the inside coils. Ice buildup inhibits the freezer's ability to maintain proper temperature and causes the freezer to work harder than necessary to compensate.

WATER HEATERS - Water heating is typically the third largest energy expense in your home, accounting for about 14 percent of your energy bill.

An old water heater can operate for years at very low efficiency before it finally fails.

If your gas water heater is more than 10 years old, it probably operates at less than 50 percent efficiency. Calculate how much hot water your household uses at peak times. Figure that a clothes washer on hot wash/hot rinse can use about 32 gallons of hot water. A shower can use 20 gallons.

Washing dishes by hand can use 10 to 15 gallons, and automatic dishwashers can use about 8 gallons.

Match this figure with the "first hour rating" (FHR) on the Energy Guide label. The FHR measures how many gallons of hot water your heater can deliver during a busy hour.

Don't be misled by the size of the tank - it doesn't necessarily correlate with FHR. Once you've found the right FHR range for your household, check the unit's Energy Factor (EF), wh ich rates efficiency.

A high-efficiency gas model would have an EF around 0.8. And remember, a natural gas unit will cost less to operate than electric. Estimates on life expectancy Dishwasher - 12 years. Oven/stove - 20 years. Refrigerator - 14 years. Washer and dryer - 13

years. Microwave - 11 years. Television- 8 years. Water heater- 10 years. Garbage disposal- 10

years.