Advice

How water and energy efficient are front and top load washing machines?

The two main types of clothes washers are drum type machines (usually called front loaders) and agitator or impeller machines (often called top loaders). Each has advantages and disadvantages, but drum machines are usually more energy and water efficient. The Water Services Association of Australia website contains a database of all water efficiency rated clothes washers.

Top loader or front loader?
There are a number of things to consider before making your choice - the decision is not always straight forward, especially if you do many load in one washing session (eg family with small children) and prefer cold washing:

Top loaders

- Generally faster washing times -typically 30-45 minutes

- Generally use more water which means, that on a warm wash, they use more energy

- Wear and tear on clothes is harsher (especially impeller types)

- Generally have a range of cold washing options

- Generally have hot and cold water connection (this is cheaper to operate for a warm wash if you have a gas, off peak or solar water heater).

Front loaders

- Generally slower washing times-typically 60-90 minutes (but the majority of loaders have a 30minute quick wash function)

- Generally use less water which means that on a warm wash they use less energy (this is particularly important if you don't have mains water connection)

- Much more gentle on clothes and usually wash better (although all washers have to meet minimum wash performance standards)

- Many have only single cold connect (internal water heating) which means water is heater using day rate electricity (some have limited cold water washing options and/or hot and cold connections).

For other energy issues to consider, visit http://www.energyrating.gov.au/cwl.html

Induction and Traditional Cook top differences?

The induction cook top is a very practical device and can be used for any cooking application. It cooks food just as well as any comparable system but in a more energy efficient manner. Protecting the world's environment and conserving resources is an important concern, and the induction cook top is probably the most environmentally sound cooking device on the market, as it releases no fumes or chemicals into the air and uses no irreplaceable fossil fuels.

Traditional electric cook tops use some form of electric resistance to create heat, which is transferred to the saucepan and its contents. Induction cooking is based on magnetic fields: each ‘element’ (an induction coil) generates a magnetic field that induces heat in steel cookware placed on top of it. In essence, the pot becomes the element that cooks the food, so the cooktop surface doesn’t get as hot as other cooktops.

Induction cooktops have the same instant control as gas and are the fastest of all cooktop types to heat and cook food. The only stipulations include:
- pots and pans must be made of steel, cast iron or other combinations of metals that will react with the magnetic field.
- a kitchen must be wired for 220 volts (which is not likely if you are using gas).
What's more, the induction cooktop is more energy efficient.
- Induction cooking uses 90% of the energy produced compared to only 55% for a gas burner and 65% for traditional electric ranges.
- Induction provides extremely fast boil and re-boil, over 50% faster than gas or electric

The surface of the cooktop does not heat up, so overflows and spills do not stick. The cooking surface stays cool even during the cooking cycle.

What is a Catalytic liner in an oven?

Catalytic liners absorb grease and dirt, then burn it off at up to about 200°C. The filters should last a long time if looked after properly, but they can be replaced. When the oven is run at around 200°C or higher, the splashes are burnt off. If you don't run the oven at a high enough temperature to do this, the liners will become saturated and no longer effective

Digital Camera Resolution

The amount of detail that the camera can capture is called the resolution, and it is measured in pixels. The more pixels a camera has, the more detail it can capture and the larger pictures can be without becoming blurry or "grainy."

Some typical resolutions include:

- 256x256 - Found on very cheap cameras, this resolution is so low that the picture quality is almost always unacceptable. This is 65,000 total pixels.

- 640x480 - This is the low end on most "real" cameras. This resolution is ideal for e-mailing pictures or posting pictures on a Web site.

- 1216x912 - This is a "megapixel" image size -- 1,109,000 total pixels -- good for printing pictures.

- 1600x1200 - With almost 2 million total pixels, this is "high resolution." You can print a 4x5 inch print taken at this resolution with the same quality that you would get from a photo lab.

- 2240x1680 - Found on 4 megapixel cameras -- the current standard -- this allows even larger printed photos, with good quality for prints up to 16x20 inches.

- 4064x2704 - A top-of-the-line digital camera with 11.1 megapixels takes pictures at this resolution. At this setting, you can create 13.5x9 inch prints with no loss of picture quality.

High-end consumer cameras can capture over 12 million pixels. Some professional cameras support over 16 million pixels, or 20 million pixels for large-format cameras.

No matter what type of storage they use, all digital cameras need lots of room for pictures. They usually store images in one of two formats -- TIFF, which is uncompressed, and JPEG, which is compressed, but some use RAW format. Most cameras use the JPEG file format for storing pictures, and they sometimes offer quality settings (such as medium or high). The following chart will give you an idea of the file sizes you might expect with different picture sizes

What is an Inverter Microwave?

Panasonic microwaves have exclusive inverter cooking technology onboard, giving users greater control over microwave cooking. Inverter technology offers accuracy in power control to prevent spill overs, burnt edges or uneven cooking. Moreover, inverter technology can also reduce cooking and preparation times.

High, medium or low for the entire cooking cycle

Panasonic inverter microwave oven users can cook at high, medium and low power settings for the entire cooking process. A Panasonic inverter cooks at 100% of the power selected for 100% of the time required. For example, if you choose medium power, the Panasonic Inverter microwave oven will cook at medium power for 100% of the time.

Graduated cooking sequences

Inverter cooking technology also offers graduated cooking sequences. Graduated cooking controls the microwave’s power levels directly and thereby allows more cooking control. For example, when cooking on a high power setting, the power level is gradually reduced once the food reaches its optimum cooking temperature. The smaller size of the inverter circuit also makes it possible to offer a light, compact oven without compromising the cavity and turntable size.

Thanks to Panasonic for this information.

What size/type of air conditioner should I purchase for my home?

Before purchasing an air conditioner you should consider other non energy consuming means of providing a comfortable home environment during the warmer months of the year. The design of your house can significantly affect the internal comfort conditions. Features that can significantly reduce or eliminate the need for refrigerate air-conditioning include:

- Orientation for exposure to cooling breezes.

- Increase natural ventilation by reducing barriers to air paths through your home.

- Provision of fans to provide ventilation and air movement in the absence of breezes.

- Floor plan zoning to maximise comfort for daytime activities and sleeping comfort.

- Appropriate windows and glazing to minimise unwanted heat gains and maximise ventilation.

- Effective shading (including vegetative planting).

- Adequate levels of appropriate insulation.

- High thermal mass construction in regions with significant diurnal ranges (i.e. large variation between daily minimum and maximum temperatures).

- Low thermal mass construction in regions with low diurnal range (i.e. small variation between daily minimum and maximum temperatures).

- Use of light coloured roofs and walls to reflect more solar radiation and reduce heat gain.

What is an "inverter" air conditioner?

An inverter model means that the compressor is powered by a variable speed drive or "inverter", which enables the compressor to run at a range of speeds from slow to fast, to match the output required. Most conventional compressors run at a constant speed and these types of units vary their capacity by switching on and off at different intervals. Inverters are a sophisticated piece of technology which improve the performance and energy efficiency of air conditioners under normal use.

Bagged and Bagless Vacuum Cleaners- what's the difference?

One of the newest ways to refer to vacuum cleaners is bagged or bagless. A bagged vacuum cleaner works in the traditional way of using a replaceable bag as a filter to trap dirt while allowing air to flow through the bag. Bags must be replaced when they are full. Bagless vacuum cleaners use filters to trap dirt and debris in a dirt cup or chamber that can then be emptied. Is a bagless model better than one that needs vacuum cleaner bags? It really depends on your family and its needs.

Bagged models mean you change the bag when it becomes full. Replacing the bag isn't difficult and most vacuum cleaner bags are inexpensive- it can be inconvenient to have to remember to check if the bag is full. Some models requiring vacuum cleaner bags now have an indicator light that will let you know when the bag needs to be changed. A benefit of vacuum cleaner bags is that there is not a lot of contact with the dust and debris in the bag. Just throw the old bag away when its full.

Certain upright vacuum cleaners and canister vacuum cleaners deposit dirt and debris into a container rather than a vacuum bag. These hard bag vacuum cleaners, also known as bagless vacuum cleaners, normally include HEPA filters that more efficiently remove dust, dirt particles, pollen, and dander from the air passing through the vacuum cleaner. This vacuum in particular is a good choice for allergy sufferers. Bagless vacuum cleaners will have filters that must either be cleaned or replaced according to the manufacturer's instructions