The Energy Star Label
Now you can be a smart shopper and make the right choices to start
saving energy and money. The energy star label was created by the
U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency. These agencies set the criteria to help shoppers shop for
large and small home appliances and identify the most energy-efficient
products on the market today. You can be assured that the appliance
with the energy star label is a high-performance product which will
reduce the operating cost of that appliance or product every month
during its lifetime. Below are appliances and how to read and understand
the ratings for each product.
Air Conditioners for your room
Look for the EnergyGuide label with an EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio)
for room air conditioners. The higher the EER, the more efficient
the unit is. Units with the Energy Star are among the most energy-efficient
products.
Don't forget to choose a size that is appropriate for the room.
What size to buy:
Area in Square Feet Btu/hour
100 to 150 5,000
150 to 250 6,000
250 to 350 7,000
350 to 400 9,000
400 to 450 10,000
450 to 550 12,000
550 to 700 14,000
700 to 1,000 18,000
Central Air Conditioners
When looking for a central air unit, look for the EnergyGuide label
with a SEER for central air conditioners. The Energy Star minimum
efficiency level is 12 SEER. Energy Star central air conditioners
exceed federal standards by at least 20%.
Clothes
Look for the EnergyGuide label that will tell you how much electricity,
in kilowatt hours (kWh), the clothes washer will use in one year.
The smaller the number, the less energy it uses. Energy Star clothes
washers use less than 50% of the energy used by standard washers.
Also look for design features such as water level controls that
cut water usage. Features include, "suds saver", spin
cycle adjustment, and large capacity.
Dishwashers
Look for the EnergyGuide label that will tell you how much electricity,
in kilowatt hours, the dishwasher will use in one year. The smaller
the number, the less energy it uses. Look for features that will
reduce water usage such as booster heaters and smart controls. Be
sure to check how many gallons of water the dishwasher uses different
cycles. This will also cost the least to operate.
Programmable Thermostats
For minimum efficiency, thermostats should have at least two programs,
four temperature settings each, a hold feature that allows users
to temporarily override settings, and the ability to maintain room
temperature with 2 degrees F of desired temperatures.
Refrigerator and Freezers
Look for the EnergyGuide label that tells you how much electricity,
in kilowatt hours, the refrigerator or freezer will use in one year.
The smaller the number, the less energy it uses. Refrigerators with
freezers on top are more efficient than those freezers on the side.
Also look for heavy door hinges that create a good door seal.
Water Heaters
Look for the EnergyGuide label that tells you how much energy the
water heater uses in one year. Also look for the FHR (First Hour
Rating) of the water heater. This measures the maximum hot water
the heater will deliver in the first hour of use. If you typically
need a lot of hot water at once, the FHR will be important to you.
Sizing is also important when selecting a water heater
Windows
Look for NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council) label that
provides U-values and SHGC (solar heat gain coefficient) values.
The lower the U-value, the better the insulation. Also check the
climate region map on the Energy Star label to be sure that you
have selected the window, door, or skylight that is appropriate
where you live.