About Energy Efficient Appliances

Energy-efficient appliances are able to save you money by saving on the amount of energy that is used within your home.  This is because appliances, regardless of their size, tend to use more energy that you can probably imagine.  Since energy-efficient appliances have better insulation they save you money.

• The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy have come together to create the Energy Star program.  It grades large appliances and some electronics according to just how energy efficient they are.  If the product you are purchasing has an Energy Star rating, it means that the product needs the federal standards for energy efficiency.


• The IRS (Internal Revenue Service) provides a tax credit whenever you purchase some Energy Star products.


• The 3 large appliances that use 50% of your home's energy are your heating, cooling and water heating appliances.  The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy reports that these appliances will have the most impact upon your energy usage. 


• Whenever a large appliance is rated by Energy Star there will also be a card attached to it so that you can compare it to an old unit. 


• Some of the small appliances that are known to consume the most energy include your refrigerator, freezer, washer and dryer.  They each consume approximately 8% of your home's energy.


• According to the National Resources Defense Council a new refrigerator will consume 75% less energy than one that was made in the late 1970s.  Therefore, an Energy Star refrigerator will save you money.  Just remember that if you have a small family, you don't want to purchase a large refrigerator because then you will be wasting energy.