We cannot renew our whole house, but old home appliances do need an upgrade when they have been used more than their life expectancy. With the ever-growing technological advancements, you can easily choose the electronic devices that are eco-friendly and will save you big on your monthly utility bills. We usually opt for repairing the appliance rather than replacing it. Still, if one of your home appliances is 20 years old, you should consider to upgrade it to an advanced and energy-efficient version. They will cause less harm and waste to the environment and less burden on your wallet in the long run. Upgrading old home appliances will also add value to your home. Let’s look at some of the typical old home appliances that might be showing their age and asking you for an upgrade.
Upgrading refrigerator will save you money
Refrigerators are one of the essential home appliances. Without a properly working refrigerator or very old refrigerator, you can face a lot of unnecessary power consumption. Over the decades, they have improved in and have seen big efficiency bumps. The standard refrigerators now use 40-60 percent less energy than their previous models. Moreover, the new refrigerators have a freezer on the top rather than side by side and are more efficient. And if you think that maintenance can accomplish the same goal as buying a new refrigerator, then you’re mistaken. The best you can do is ensure your current refrigerator is kept between 37 and 40 degrees. You can also make sure all foods and liquids are covered because uncovered foods release moisture, which causes the compressor to kick on more often. So if your fridge was made in the 1990s, then you must consider replacing it with a new as it will save you up until you $100-$200 a year, which is definitely worth it. There are many new models available in the market. You can go for an eco-friendly refrigerator with modern features such as high efficiency LED lighting and metal cooling locks.
Dishwasher needs to be changed
The dishwasher is another essential kitchen appliance without which cleaning and washing dishes would be a mess. If you have an older dishwasher, then you should consider getting a new one because the older dishwasher uses an average of 10 gallons of water per cycle. Whereas new models just use 5.8 gallons of water per cycle, so yes, that’s a pretty significant amount of water you could save. One more fantastic thing about new dishwashers is that they are quieter and clean better. If you want to get rid of the bursting ear sound of your old dishwasher, then you should definitely buy a new one. You could potentially save $8 a year on energy with a new dishwasher. The latest designs of dishwashers offer a lot of more features such as half load wash options and connecting it to Alexa or your Google Assistant for real-time updates and alerts. The average cost of a new dishwasher is $550, and the investment is worth it if your dishwasher is very old.
Old washing machines are messy
No one can even imagine washing their clothes without a washing machine. Older washing machines have a top-load feature, where the water fills up from the bottom, but new models have become much more efficient by switching to the front load clothes washer. They use around 50 percent less water than an older washing machine. Modern washing machines are also energy-friendly as they use 37 percent less energy. If you think that repair or maintenance would achieve the same goal as buying a new washing machine, then you must keep in mind that there is not much on the maintenance angle you can do to make a washing machine efficient. The average price of a new washing machine is $750. There are many models available with different and advanced features such as cold wash option, rapid wash cycle to save your time, and steam wash option for stains that are hard to remove otherwise. If your washing machine is ten years old, then you should start looking for a new one.
Old air conditioners can cost you a fortune
Summers without an air conditioner is hard to endure, and if your air conditioner is outdated, then consider replacing it. Both central and room air conditioners are well known to suck energy in the summer. A room air conditioner’s efficiency is rated by an energy efficiency ratio (EER). Where the higher the number, the more efficient it is. Most modern retail air conditioners get a 10 EER rating. Whereas the ones from the 1990s rate closer to an EER of 7. You can usually find your EER rating in your manual if you still have it or on a sticker on the side. If those are long gone, you can search the manufacturer’s site to find it. The average cost of a new room air conditioner is $220. Maintenance can help an older air conditioner, but it won’t keep the energy usage numbers as low as a modern one. However, replacing filters, cleaning coils, and managing ducts will all help to decrease your bill. You can potentially save up to $25-$85 with a new air conditioner. If your air conditioner is more than 20 years old, it’s probably worth the upgrade.
Traditional coffee makers are better
A coffee maker would probably be the last thing on your mind while thinking about upgrading your old home appliances, but if you use a single-serve coffee maker, then you should consider replacing it with the traditional method of brewing coffee. Single-serve coffee makers offer expensive convenience. Brewing coffee manually is an enjoyable experience and can even improve the taste. You can get a coffee maker at a low price of even $10, which is nothing as compared to the pods that serve just one cup of coffee and can be a considerable burden on your wallet over time. If you drink two to three cups of coffee daily, single-serve coffee makers are not a good option. A traditional coffee maker such as a French press can be an inexpensive and valuable kitchen upgrade.
In the end, it all comes to being economical while upgrading your house appliances and making your life easier and your bank balance steadier. You can’t change your whole house, but by upgrading old appliances, you can enjoy the feeling of something new.
