Does ENERGY STAR Qualified Matter When I Shop for New Appliances?
See how energy efficient appliances can save you money in the long run
The answer is yes — for several reasons. Here’s when ENERGY STAR qualified appliances matter most.
Replacing Really Old Appliances
Getting rid of a 3-year-old dishwasher might not be worth the higher price tag for ENERGY STAR qualified appliances. But if your appliances are at the end of their life, definitely look for the ENERGY STAR label.
New, energy-efficient appliances can help you save money on energy bills over the next 10-20 years. And saving even a little on your energy bill goes a long way when you consider that refrigerators last an average of 12 years, washing machines about 11 years and HVAC systems around 15-20 years.
When you see the ENERGY STAR logo qualified on a product, it means that the product meets specific standards for energy efficiency that often exceed the federal minimum standards. You should also check out the yellow EnergyGuide label on appliances. This gives you detailed information about the annual energy consumption and operating cost, so you can comparison shop.
Building a New House
Start off on the right foot and go green with an ENERGY STAR home. If you’re building your energy efficient dream home, using ENERGY STAR as a guide to make decisions that can help you save money on energy costs. Plus, you’ll save even more because you’re getting a whole house full of new, energy efficient appliances!
When comparing the energy usage for each appliance in your home, you can see exactly where choosing ENERGY STAR qualified products can have the biggest impact. Here’s a quick look at the top 10 appliances in homes and how much energy they use, as reported by Connect4Climate:
| Heating & Cooling | 47% |
| Water Heater | 14% |
| Washer & Dryer | 13% |
| Lighting | 12% |
| Refrigerator | 4% |
| Oven | 4% |
| TV, Cable, DVD | 3% |
| Dishwasher | 2% |
| Computer | 1% |
EXTRA CREDIT: Check out ENERGY STAR’s comprehensive advice for building an Energy Star home — it goes way beyond installing energy efficient appliances.
Trying to Save Energy and the Environment
You’ll feel good about buying ENERGY STAR qualified appliances if saving the planet is your top priority. ENERGY STAR was started in 1992 as part of the federal Clean Air Act. It’s a voluntary program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the goal of identifying and promoting energy-efficient products and buildings to consumers, so they can reduce energy consumption and pollution.
ENERGY STAR helps Americans save billions of kilowatt hours of electricity each year and reduces millions of metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Buying ENERGY STAR products is a great way to go green and help protect your environment.
Ready to start shopping?
There are a lot of high-quality energy efficient products that can save energy in your home. That’s why the experts at ENERGY STAR created a helpful guide to shopping for ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, as well other eco-friendly items for your home. Their guide covers everything from kitchen appliances to heating and air conditioning to light bulbs.
Your local Trane dealer is also a great resource for learning about ENERGY STAR qualified HVAC systems and what would work best for your home and budget.