Articles

Ovens - Before buying an oven, first you have to ask yourself whether you need a gas oven or electric oven. This decision is based on your cooking preferences. An important factor to consider when buying an oven is the type of cleaning process it uses. Standard cleaning ovens require you to clean it yourself. Self-cleaning ovens often have programmable cleaning settings that use high temperatures to clean residue from the oven. You can also get continuous cleaning ovens that absorb or burn off splatters, making it even more convenient.

Refrigerators - As a rule of thumb, plan on purchasing 8-10 cubic feet of space for a family of two, then add an additional cubic foot of space for each family member. Remember that refrigerators with freezers on top are generally more energy-efficient than those with side-freezers.

Dishwashers - Always find out the amount of water a dishwasher uses for every different cycle. Features that reduce water usage are very important. Newer, more expensive stainless steel models enhance efficiency during drying cycles and can tolerate higher water temperatures.

Ventilation Hoods - The fan will be the most important factor here. Axial fans are inexpensive but not as powerful as centrifugal fans. Also, tempered glass light lenses in a ventilation hood is essential. They are tougher than plastic lenses, so they will last longer. You should also consider buying one with a low sone number. The lower the sone number is, the quieter your range hood.

Garbage Disposal Systems - There are a few things to consider when you want to buy a garbage disposal. Think of how many meals per week are prepared in your kitchen, how often you entertain, and the importance of quiet operation and long product life. Find out also if your kitchen is hooked up to a septic or water system.

Air Conditioners - When looking for a powerful air conditioner, check out the yellow energy tag (represented as Energy Efficiency Ratio or EER) and consider its efficiency. The Energy Efficiency Ratio, or EER, ranges from 8 to 12, so the higher the EER number, the better the efficiency. After this, you also need to consider the space of the room you'll be putting the air conditioner in, as well as your budget. How big is the room? Is it important that the whole room be cooled? Is there variable weather? Do I move from room to room a lot? The answers to these questions will help you find the suitable model for your needs. Try to match the unit's cooling capacity with the size of the room. Follow the Dept. of Energy's formula, which is to multiply the room's square feet of space by 20.

Water Heaters - Again, energy efficiency is the important factor here. The EnergyGuide label gives you two important pieces of information when you're comparing different brands and models: estimated energy consumption and estimated yearly operating costs. Use this information to determine which models are the most energy efficient. Tank size or capacity refers to the amount of water, in gallons, that the water heater will hold. The more gallons you need per hour, the larger the tank must be. Of course there are also tank-less systems which heat water as you need it. Tankless water systems are powered by either electricity or gas and turn off when not in use. However, they cannot be expected to supply you with large amounts of hot water at any given time.