Sarah Schachterle - HERLIFE Magazine

ENERGY GUIDE LABEL
The Federal Trade Commission requires all manufacturers
to place EnergyGuide labels on major appliances to help
consumers compare the efficiency of competing brands and
similar models. Each label must specify the capacity of the
particular model, the estimated annual energy consumption
of the model, and estimated annual energy consumption of
comparable appliances. Manufacturers must use standard test
procedures developed by the Department of Energy to prove the
energy use and efficiency of their products.
ENERGY STAR LABEL
The Energy Star program was created by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to make it easy for consumers
to identify and purchase energy efficient products that offer
savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance. Appliances
with the Energy Star label are significantly more energy
efficient than the average
comparable model. Appliances
earn the Energy Star
label by meeting criteria
established by the EPA
including: 1) the product
must contribute significant
energy savings nationwide
and deliver the features
and performance demanded
by consumers; 2)
product energy consumption
and peformance can
be measured and verified
with testing and 3) if a
qualified product costs
more than a less efficient
model, consumers must be
able to recover the extra
cost through utility bill
savings within a reasonable
period of time.
The following is a
quick overview of the
Energy Star advantage for
three major appliances and suggestions for maximizing their
operating efficiency.
REFRIGERATORS
The refrigerator is the single biggest energy consuming
appliance in the kitchen. Purchasing a new Energy Star unit
can reduce energy consumption significantly—approximately
40 percent over models sold in 2001. Energy Star qualified
models use high efficiency compressors, improved insulation,
and more precise temperature and defrost mechanisms to
improve overall energy efficiency. Models with top-mounted
freezers use 10–25 percent less energy than bottom-mount or
side-by-side models. Keep your refrigerator between 35 and 38
degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees
Fahrenheit. If you keep the setting at just 10 degrees colder
than necessary, your energy consumption will jump 25 percent.
Positioning your refrigerator away from heat sources such as
an oven, dishwasher, or direct sunlight from a window is also
helpful.
DISHWASHERS
Energy Star rated dishwashers use less hot water than
other models and can reduce energy consumption by at least 40
percent. If you replace a dishwasher made before 1994 with a
new Energy Star model, you will save enough water each week
to wash three loads of laundry. By reducing water consumption,
Energy Star qualified dishwashers also help protect our lakes,
streams, and oceans. Dishwashers are available in two sizes—
standard capacity models, which hold more than eight place
settings and six serving pieces, and compact models, which
hold less than that. Choose a dishwasher with several wash
cycle options, and use a light wash cycle whenever possible,
which uses less water and operates for a shorter period of time.
Avoid running your dishwasher until you have a full load and
always use the air dry
option instead of heat
The Energy Star program was
created by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to make it
easy for consumers to identify and
purchase energy efficient products
that offer savings on energy bills
without sacrificing performance.
Appliances with the Energy Star
label are significantly more energy
efficient than the average
comparable model.
dry.
CLOTHES WASHERS
The average
American family
washes almost 400
loads of laundry each
year. By purchasing a
clothes washer with
the Enery Star label,
energy costs can be
cut by about one third,
and water costs can
be reduced by more
than 50 percent. Over
the life of an Energy
Star qualified washer,
you’ll save enough
money in operating
costs to pay for the
matching dryer.
Choose a model
with a high Modified
Energy Factor (MEF), which is a measure of energy efficiency
that considers the energy used by the washer and the energy
used to heat the water, and a low Water Factor (WF), which
measures water efficiency in gallons of water consumed per
cubic foot of capacity. Washing clothes in cold water will reduce
energy use by 75 percent and save almost 500 pounds of CO2
per year.
REBATES AND SPECIAL OFFERS
To encourage customers to buy energy efficient products,
local utilities sometimes offer credits on your electric bill and
Energy Star partners occasionally sponsor special offers such as
sales tax exemptions or rebates on qualified products. To find
special offers available in your area, visit www.energystar.gov,
and click on “rebate finder” listed under the “Explore Products”
section on the home page and enter your zip code.
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