energy
Green clothes dryer. Florida’s Hydromatic Technologies Corp. recently launched new technology for dryers that the company says will reduce the appliance’s energy consumption up to 50 percent and cut drying time by about 40 percent. The Dryer Miser heats up a non-toxic fluid in a self-contained system to enable the dryer to produce enough heat to dry clothes significantly faster than traditional machines. It will be available in the fall and is expected to cost about $300. Details at .
money
Smart bathroom updates. Small bathroom improvements can produce big savings on energy bills, according to The Home Depot. Installing a low-flow shower head is inexpensive and can save a family of four more than 500 gallons of water each week, which equates to $250 a year. Another major water-waster is an old toilet. According to the EPA, if a family of four replaced a 3.5-gallon-per-flush toilet made between 1980 and 1994 with a WaterSense-labeled toilet, they could save more than $90 annually on their water bill and $2,000 over the lifetime of the toilet.
time
Speedy online advice. TV home improvement guru Danny Lipford’s website is chockablock with useful do-it- yourself tidbits. Lipford is especially fond of educating consumers about chores that take only a little time but save major dollars, like caulking around windows and doors, installing a set-back thermostat and fixing drippy faucets. Read more at .
