NBC Washington, with the help of AHAM and the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA), aired a segment last week on how much detergent people should be using to wash their clothes. You may be surprised to see most people use about twice the recommended amount! Watch the video below to see some tips from the experts to keep your clothes fresh and your clothes washer running smoothly.
The rice cooker is one of the most convenient kitchen items you may be overlooking.
More and more people are discovering the rice cooker, including celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. A recent AHAM study shows that only 23%
of households have a rice cooker, and 73% of those people got theirs
within the past four years.
In his weekly column “Wolfgang’s Kitchen,” he proclaims his loyalty to the “humble rice cooker” and shares recipes for other dishes that can be made with this small appliance. Wolfgang enjoys making perfectly cooked rice with little effort and freeing up a burner on his cooktop. Read his column for some expert tips on cooking rice, macaroni and cheese and his recipe for macaroni and cheese with wild mushrooms.
AHAM was intervied by NPR's Weekend Edition last Sunday to discuss the Department of Energy's (DOE) stimulus program for ENERGY STAR appliances. Jill Notini, AHAM's VP Communications and Marketing, went on the air with guest host Jacki Lyden where she explained exactly how this "Cash for Appliances" rebate program will work, when you can get your rebate, and how much you can get for purchasing a new energy efficient appliance.
Listen to the interview here!
Millions of families are looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday next week, but remember to be extra cautious in the kitchen as you prepare your Thanksgiving dinner. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking
fires are the top cause of home fires and are three times as likely to
occur on Thanksgiving Day compared to any other day of the year.
“A cooking fire can turn a holiday feast into a family tragedy,” says
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “By
taking simple safety steps cooks can avoid cooking fires and keep the
Thanksgiving celebration joyful.”
AHAM and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) have teamed up to offer you expert advice and how to prevent cooking fires, and what to do if an accident does occur while cooking. Click here to read safety tips for everyone from first-time cooks to the experienced Thanksgiving chefs who can do it all!
You can also watch a video that shows how quickly a fire can spread on a gas range. Skip ahead to the 2:00 minute mark to see how to properly contain the fire and to the 2:45 mark for safety tips from John Drengenberg of UL where he explains what to do if one of your pans catch on fire.
New data released by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in September shows that most injuries from fires involving
heating equipment occurred when the user was asleep or when a child under 10 was
left unsupervised with the equipment. AHAM wants to remind consumers to never leave an operating heater
unattended and always unplug heater when you are not using it!
Check out www.heatersafety.org for the full list of heater safety tips and request a free “Stay Safe! Top Tips for using your Portable Electric Heater Safely!” brochure in English or Spanish. You can also order large quatities of the brochures and AHAM’s “Safety Educator Tool Kit” online at www.aham.org/safetyinfo.
Stay warm, be smart and stay safe while enjoying your portable electric heater!
Matt Williams, AHAM's Director of Standards, has returned from GridWeek 2009, where he spent a lot of time gathering information and discussing how groups, including AHAM, are collaborating to introduce Smart technologies into the home. Watch this video for a snippet of some attendee thoughts:
AHAM will soon release a white paper on the role of home appliances in the smart grid and the major benefits for consumers and the environment.
In the meantime, read the Wall Street Journal's recent article on Smart Grid, which includes remarks by AHAM on these consumer and environmental benefits.
Watch the latest business video at FOXBusiness.com
Breaking news regarding Michael Jackson's death suspended Joe McGuire's interview with Charles Gibson that was scheduled for Monday's edition of ABC World News Tonight. You will be able to watch the full story tonight, at 6:30 p.m. EST on ABC.
Tune in to ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson where AHAM President Joseph McGuire will speak about the energy efficient appliance rebate program. His interview will air tonight at 6:30 p.m. EST!
Below is a shot of Joe's interview with Reuters TV.
An article posted yesterday on CNN.com lists lots of helpful tips for those suffering from indoor allergies. It is important to keep your home clean by vacuuming and dusting regularly, and reducing clutter. You can also look for an air cleaner to help reduce the dust, pollen and tobacco smoke particles that may be floating in your air.
AHAM has hundreds of certified air cleaners listed on www.cadr.org, where you can search for the model that will work the best in your home. AHAM tests for the reduction of dust, pollen and tobacco smoke and gives each air cleaner a recommended room size.
The article also mentions fighting off any mold in your basement with a dehumidifier. AHAM also tests and certifies dehumidifiers and lists the results in an online directory.
