HomeWerks

Earth Day

2011-04-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

Our precious Earth has its own special day, Earth Day, April 22. Celebrated the world over, this year's theme is centered around "A Billion Acts of Green" which encourages each and every one of us to "live and act sustainably."

A great day to reflect on our planet's plight and make our New Earth Day Resolutions! If we all start making modest changes to daily routines, collectively, these changes will add much to preserving our precious resources.

While I may never be able to brush my teeth while letting the water run without guilt, imagine how much that one little change has saved in water these past years. Over the past couple of unusually hot summers...instead of cranking up the A/C...my ceiling fans have had quite the work out and, considering my constant hot flashes, I am especially proud of this change in habit!

I think that the concerns are so great that, as individuals, we feel like improvements are far from our abilities to effect. They are overwhelming...but think of the very small things that can be done throughout our daily habits like turning the lights off when you leave the room. Think in those perspectives, and you will see how the little changes can add up to be worthy of a cause.

Happy Earth Day!

Tips on Saving Green by Selecting Green Dishwashers

2009-06-02T11:35:00.000-07:00

I can actually remember when automatic dishwashers were not a mainstay in every American home. And, I may be giving away my age...but if your kitchen was equipped with one of those "new-fangled contraptions," you probably complained about having to wash the dishes before loading to ensure satisfactory results.

The dishwasher debuted during an era where energy and water conservation really wasn't at a top of the mind awareness level as it is today. Good thing because the first models were not impressive...remember, you had to wash the dishes first.

In fact, it really has not been that many years ago when I personally started to rely on my dishwasher. My Miele dishwasher does such a great job that even my finest wine glasses get first class treatment with the china and crystal program. I'm an empty-nester and a full load may not occur for several days but even without using my pre-rinse cycle...sparkling clean results are a certainty.

HomeWerks' home town of San Antonio is in the 20th month of a severe drought cycle and water shortage is very much on our minds as we try to sustain our thirsty lawns. The fact that a simple chore of washing dishes gives us an opportunity to make a difference should matter. Valid information to apply to any brand but there is a definite bias to HomeWerks' favorite brand of Miele dishwashers. Following are tips for selecting a green dishwasher that you can feel good about using and at the same time saving our natural resources as well as saving our other dwindling resources...the green in our pockets.

Look for dishwashers that meet Energy Star requirements - saving up to $30 a year in energy. Replacing an old dishwasher with a new Energy Star model can save up to $30 a year in energy consumption and use over 40% less energy than the federal minimum standard. Miele's new dishwashers use only3.4 gallons of water in its Normal cycle, exceeding Energy Star's future 2011 water and energy standards.

Choose a dishwasher with several wash cycle selections. If your dishes are only slightly soiled, you can use a light or energy-saving wash cycle which uses less water and operates for a shorter period of time. In its economy cycle, the new Miele series only uses 1.2 gallons for those who want to save even more water and energy.

Beyond energy and water usage, consumers need to consider performance as part of their green home strategy. When buying a dishwasher to save energy and water, homeowners should investigate which models can clean effectively while being energy efficient. According to Energy Star, pre-rinsing dishes prior to loading can waste up to 20 gallons of water per cycle. With a Miele dishwasher, pre-rinsing is not necessary as their dishwashers are guaranteed to clean thoroughly without rinsing. Scrape and load is all a consumer needs to do. A real novelty, a dishwasher that washes your dishes without having to wash them first.

Look for quality and be ready to spend more now so you don't have to buy two dishwashers later. For example, Miele has a 20-year lifespan, outlasting the average life cycle stated by Energy Star by 9 years, that's two dishwashers purchased for every Miele sold. No built-in, planned obsolescence.

Check for available rebates. Go to EnergyStar.gov for the latest rebate programs. Check out local utility service providers for possible rebate programs.

About Miele. For more information about Miele, please visit http://www.mieleusa.com/ or call 800 843-7231.

Tips on Saving Money by Selecting Green Laundry System

2009-05-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

I was interviewed by our local news affiliate, WOAI TV, on the differences between appliances that were rated Energy Star and those that were not up to Energy Star standards. The state of Texas had a Sales Tax Holiday on certain qualifying Energy Star appliances and items during the long Memorial Day Weekend and the interview was to speak on the related topic.

The question is why would you buy an Energy Star appliance? If saving our precious green resources still isn't enough of a motivator, maybe the other precious green in our pockets might be an incentive to prompt the question...is this an Energy Star appliance?

Through HomeWerks, I have released a series of Press Releases with guidelines on what to look for when purchasing Energy Star products. The first in the series is providing tips for saving money by selecting a green washer and dryer.

HomeWerks' home city of San Antonio definitely has it's challenges providing sufficient water supply to it's citizens with record breaking drought conditions and a washer can make a huge impact on water as well as energy savings. Valid information to apply to any brand but there is a definite bias to HomeWerks' favorite brand of Miele washers and dryers.

1. Look for laundry products that meet Energy Star requirements - saving over $145 a year in energy. If a washer is over 10 years old, replacing it with a new Energy Star qualified washer could save over $145 each year on utility bills. If everyone in the U.S. owned a Miele, we'd save the equivalent of 40 million barrels of oil a year. And with a Miele Honeycomb washer, you save enough clean drinking water for 10 people for life.

2. Look for several water level options. Choose a washing machine that allows you to adjust the water level to match the size of the load. Miele's new MasterCare controls automatically weighs and adjusts the water for the load size.

3. Choose a dryer with a moisture sensor. Reduce the dryer's energy use by choosing a model with a moisture sensor. Miele's Touchtronic microprocessor monitors dampness and automatically shuts off the machine when clothes are dry, which saves energy and reduces wear and tear on clothes caused by over-drying...saving more money.

4. Look for quality and be ready to spend more now so you don't have to buy two washers later. For example, Miele has a 20-year lifespan, outlasting the average life cycle stated by Energy Star by 9 years, that's two washers purchased for every Miele sold. No built-in, planned obsolescence.

5. Check for available rebates. Go to EnergyStar.gov for the latest rebate programs. Our city water provider, San Antonio Water System (SAWS) also offers $100 rebate for level 3-tier washers. Check local utility providers for rebate programs as well.

About Miele
For more information about Miele, please visit http://www.mieleusa.com/ or call 800.843.7231. Check out their corporate sustainability statements.

A Start

2009-05-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

I can not wait until this blog really starts taking off as I'm just learning the art of blogging ...lots of ideas ready to burst out in to this blog.

I just completed my Professional Green Certification course through the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). It is so exciting to be able to take a course that can not only offer lots of good info but give credibility to the Professional trying to practice Green not only in their personal lives but in their respective professional arena .

You may be curious as to why a building certification...it makes sense when you look at our offerings... For more than twenty years, my marketing efforts have been toward premium products that have no planned obsolescence...be energy efficient and water wise...and improve the health of our indoor spaces. And they must be the coolest cool stuff for the home!

My company, HomeWerks, has several divisions with Appliances., Floor Care and Low Volt Integration to name a few. Within each of those divisions there are a lot of synergistic categories so I can assure you there is a lot of interesting info to share with new products popping up all the time!

Getting Connected

2009-05-13T23:03:00.001-07:00

HomeWerks is getting connected by joining FaceBook and Twitter as well as this blog. We are excited about the opportunity to share information about us and our products. Lots of neat things coming up!