How to Make Your Old Appliances More Eco-friendly

The world is becoming more and more environmentally conscious. Over the past decade, people have gradually become more aware of the harmful effects of plastic on the world’s oceans and how carbon emissions are harming our cities (with London exceeding its air toxin limit in just one month earlier this year).

Most people regularly recycle their plastics and cans, but there are other things you can do to help the environment, such as investing in new eco-friendly appliances. Whilst newer appliances are often designed with a range of eco-friendly features, they can sometimes be expensive, and it isn’t realistic to expect everyone to replace all of their appliances at once.

Luckily, there are still many things you can do to help reduce your carbon emissions, creating a more eco-efficient work or living space.

We’ve teamed up with commercial air conditioner experts, Daikin, to investigate how you can transform your old appliances to make them more energy efficient.

Nix the night-time stand-by

We’re all guilty of this — leaving the TV on standby all night. Charging our phones overnight when they really don’t need that long. Games consoles left to hum away in the dark. If you’re looking to lower your bills and your carbon footprint, switch them off completely before you go to bed.

According to Energy Saving Trust, the average UK home spends £30 every year just on appliances left on standby. Spending £30 for something you’re not using isn’t good, and worse, it’s not good for the environment.

So, when you’re doing your check around the house that all the windows and doors are locked before going to bed, be sure to cast a quick eye to your plugs and devices and switch them off properly before hitting the hay.

Save a few degrees

Your combi boiler should be ideally replaced every 15 years, but your old boiler can still do a better job of being eco-friendly with a few easy changes. Simply turn the thermostat down a few degrees and turn it off at night. You’ll sleep better if your body can cool down anyway, and a few degrees less during the day won’t make you uncomfortable. Consider popping another layer on next time you reach to turn up the thermostat, as usually, this is enough to warm you up!

Berman also pointed out to the newspaper that turning down your thermostat by just 1% can save you 10% on your energy bills.

Fridge coils

Like your boiler, fridges tend to last a while; around 10 to 20 years. But if your fridge is coming up for replacement, an eco-friendly model is definitely the way to go.

But let’s focus on your current fridge. When was the last time you cleaned the coils? According to Architectural Digest, cleaning the coils of your fridge can encourage better energy use.

Your fridge’s coils are usually located on the bottom, the top, or the back of your appliance. Turn your fridge off before you start, and remove the base grill if the coils are on the top or bottom, or pull your fridge carefully out so you can see the coils at the back.

With a refrigerator coil brush, you can brush out any dirt or debris that has gathered on the coils. Take the opportunity to sweep the floor too! Then, pop everything back in place. Be sure to wear gloves, and be careful when moving your fridge — if it’s too heavy, ask for help moving it.

Dryer filter

Next, turn your attention to your tumble-dryer. The filters are meant to be cleaned after every use, but everyone has forgotten once or twice…

Clear out any lint that has gathered in the filter, then pour a little water on the filter screen to see if the water passes through. If it doesn’t and pools on top of the filter, your filter needs a thorough cleaning. Give it a good scrubbing in soapy, warm water, then rinse it off and try pouring a little water through again. If it still pools a little, repeat your soap-water attack on the filter!

Cold water clean

Your washing machine can be easily more environmentally sound by cooling down a little. Opt to wash your clothes on a cold wash setting for the following benefits beyond saving the planet:

Protect colour vibrancy
Protect elastics
Better stain removal (warm water actually keeps the stain in!)
Money saving

Dutifully eco-dishwashers

Keep your dishwasher working hard; always wait for a full load before setting your dishwasher off. Also, be sure to have your full load placed efficiently in the dishwasher to fit in as much as possible without compromising on cleaning.

Tree Hugger advises that, if your model has the option to, turn off its drying cycle and just let your dishes air dry. You can open the door at the end and leave them overnight to dry off.

AC check

A good air-conditioning system can provide effective relief from an overly-warm home. But, like any other appliance, it needs a little TLC every now and again to keep it working effectively and prevent any overuse of energy.

Greener Ideal recommends getting a professional out to inspect your air-conditioning unit to make sure it is still running efficiently and effectively. If your system is making any strange noises, best to give a professional a call.

There’s plenty of ways older appliances can still do their bit to be environmentally friendly! Take these tips on board and your home and workspace can be its greenest. When the time does come to replace your older appliances, be sure to keep in mind whether or not it is energy efficient. For example, if you’re looking to replace an old, noisy air conditioning unit, your main focus might be on a quiet model. But don’t neglect to check how exco-friendly it is! With a quality air conditioning unit from a supplier such as Daikin, you can have both an energy efficient and quiet air conditioning system.