Energy Star Energy Efficency Appliances

Reducing energy bills and protecting the environment can be achieved by practicing energy conservation and energy efficiency in your home and place of business. Major household appliances account for a large portion of home energy use. By limiting use of these devices and replacing outdated models with newer appliances that have high energy efficiency ratings is one of the keys to lowering energy consumption at home.

Appliances that have earned the Energy Star label have met the highest standards of energy efficiency. The Energy Star program is a government-backed initiative designed to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants that result from the inefficient consumption of energy and to assist consumers in identifying and purchasing energy-efficient products. These energy efficiency appliances offer savings on energy bills and deliver the same or better performance and features as less efficient models.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the standards for energy efficiency that appliances and other devices must meet in order to earn the Energy Star label. The EPA has the authority to periodically revise the specifications if there is a change in the Federal minimum efficiency standards, technological advances in energy efficiency, product availability, performance or quality issues, or any significant issues with consumers’ attainment of energy savings.

Appliances that are deemed energy efficient by the EPA through the Energy Star program are tested against a predetermined set of criteria. Product categories must contribute significant energy savings nationwide and qualified appliances must deliver the features and performance demanded by consumers. If the qualified product costs more than a conventional, less energy-efficient model then the appliance must recover the additional cost through energy bill reduction over a reasonable period of time.

By law energy efficiency in appliances are based on broadly available, non-proprietary technologies which must be offered by more than one manufacturer. Devices meeting the Energy Star standards must be able to verify through testing significant energy efficiency and high performance. Appliances deemed energy efficient by the EPA are differentiated in the marketplace with the Energy Star label which must be visible to purchasers.

Purchasing energy efficient appliances is just the first step in reducing energy costs. The proper use of these devices will also help reduce household expenses and consume less electricity and natural gas. Using only cold water to wash clothing will significantly lessen your home’s energy demand. About 90% of the energy used by your washing machine is to heat water while only about 10% is for running the machine’s motor.

Being cautious to not over-dry clothes in the dryer is another way to increase your appliances’ energy efficiency. Minimize the use of the dryer by air drying as often as possible. Clean the lint trap prior to every dryer load is essential to efficiency.

Modern energy efficient dishwashers eliminate the need to rinse dishes before loading them into the machine. By just scraping plates and not pre-rinsing you will save up to 20 gallons of water per load. Running only full loads of dishes is also critical to energy savings.

By comparison shopping for new appliances and adopting a few common sense habits you will increase energy efficiency in your home and reap cost savings and environmental benefits.