Energy-efficient appliances may cost more upfront, but they save so much in energy costs over time that they often pay for themselves. Plus, you’ll be doing your part to reduce fossil fuel emissions!
Appliances can be a significant expense, and discounts or sales at https://www.retailmenot.com/view/homedepot.com significantly reduce the overall cost. Saving money on appliances allows you to allocate your budget to other essential home improvements or expenditures.
Size
Many household appliances, such as air conditioners and washing machines, consume much energy. Buying new, more efficient models can help you save energy costs over the years. But if you need to familiarize yourself with reading an appliance’s energy label, you may overlook key information. The label can tell you how much energy a model uses and compare it to similar appliances. It can also help you select the correct size. For example, a clothes washer that is too large for your home can waste energy and water by running even when it’s not full.
The label can also let you know if the appliance is smart. Smart appliances can be connected to smart electric meters or home energy management systems to shift electricity use to off-peak hours. They can even adjust operations based on local weather conditions. Smart appliances cost more up-front, but they can save you enough energy and utility bills to pay for themselves over the years.
If you need to become more familiar with the ENERGY STAR program, it is an effort to reduce fossil fuel use and protect the environment for future generations. It is a partnership between the federal government and private business to promote energy efficiency. Products bearing the ENERGY STAR label can help you lower your monthly utility bills and reduce emissions without sacrificing performance, features or comfort.
Technology
Energy-efficient appliances use less electricity to deliver the same performance as older models. That lowers their running costs and recurring expenses over time, which is great news for your wallet and the planet.
The technology inside these upgraded appliances is different, too. For example, they may be equipped with digital controls that automatically turn off or dim lights and run on a power-saving mode instead of always leaving them on. You can also find smart appliances that are connected to the internet so you can adjust settings remotely based on your usage patterns for even more efficiency savings.
Appliance efficiency standards compel manufacturers to design products with fewer energy-intensive technologies. They are often rewarded with the ENERGY STAR label, which can be seen on refrigerators, washing machines, dryers and room air conditioners, among many other types of appliances. The label is a great way to identify appliances that have met minimum energy performance requirements established by the EPA and DOE, and that are a good choice for consumers. These standards have successfully shifted appliance markets away from older, less-efficient models and towards energy-efficient ones. They have also led to falling purchase prices, and lowered consumer electricity costs. And if you need help with the upfront costs of switching to energy-efficient appliances, plenty of rebates and on-bill or on-wage financing options are available.
Energy Star
Energy Star is a label and certification program backed by the government, which verifies that an appliance meets energy efficiency standards. Products bearing the ENERGY STAR logo typically consume 10%-20% less energy than comparable appliances, which helps reduce electricity bills. Additionally, because most electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels, ENERGY STAR rated appliances help limit the amount of greenhouse gases released into the environment.
When shopping for appliances, look for the blue ENERGY STAR logo to be sure you’re getting the most efficient product available. The ENERGY STAR program includes household appliances like washers and dryers, dishwashers, air conditioners, refrigerators, furnaces, and water heaters.
The ENERGY STAR label also contains information on how much an appliance will cost to operate per year, which is helpful in comparing models. The estimated yearly operating cost and annual electricity use will help you determine how much the appliance costs to run in your home under average conditions.
ENERGY STAR also provides consumers an easy-to-use comparison tool called the Energy Guide rating. Located on the label of most appliances, this ratings system shows an estimate of an appliance’s typical energy consumption under average conditions, expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year. The lower the energy number, the more cost-efficient the appliance is to run, says Borowski. This is an especially useful tool when shopping for appliances, since each model’s energy numbers are usually shown side-by-side.
Rebates
The energy efficiency label on the new appliance you are considering buying is an important indicator. It stores a wealth of useful information for making educated appliance purchasing decisions. Many people, though, tend to ignore this label in favor of other purchasing decision factors like style, size and price.
While energy efficient appliances will often cost more than less expensive models, they use significantly less energy over their lifetime. This lower energy usage not only saves you money but reduces your environmental footprint as well. Last year, US consumers alone saved $12 billion on utility bills and avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 23 million cars by choosing energy-efficient appliances over conventional ones.
Depending on your utility provider, various state, local, and utility rebates are available to encourage the purchase of ENERGY STAR® appliances. Additionally, some utilities offer appliance recycling programs that provide haul away, recycling and incentives for customers to turn in their old, inefficient appliances like refrigerators, clothes washers, electric heaters, room air conditioners, ventilating fans and dehumidifiers.
While there are a variety of other ways to reduce energy consumption, purchasing efficient appliances is one of the most effective. With a little research, it is possible to find the right energy efficient appliances for your home and make a positive impact on your environment.
