Monday, August 25, 2008
Save Money with Energy Efficient Appliances
If you've been trying to find ways to save money in your own home, the first thing you should start looking at is how much electricity you use. Cutting down on the amount of electricity you use will not only helps you save money, but it's also very good for the environment in general. And one of the best ways to start saving money on your electric bill, is to make sure you're using energy-efficient appliances.
If you're in the market for a new appliance, here are some things you should look for.
The energy guide: in the United States the Federal Trade Commission requires that appliance manufacturers must place labels on their products which tell you how much energy a particular appliance uses. This energy guide label is usually black and yellow, and it will tell you a lot of great details about the appliance you're thinking of buying. It will tell you for example, how much money this appliance will add to your electric bill each year. And it often tells you how energy-efficient the appliance is, even compared to other similar appliances.
The energy Star: the energy Star is a special logo that companies are allowed to use for their products which are more energy-efficient than most others. By law they are only allowed to display this energy Star logo if they have been tested and proven to meet or beat certain energy standards which are set by the government. Appliances which have the energy Star logo on them can be as little as 20% more efficient than other models, and they can go as high as more than 100% more efficient. So buying an appliance with the energy Star logo on it is most likely going to save you the most money on your electricity bill over the long run.
Bigger is not always better. Some people seem to think that they're supposed to buy the biggest appliance they can find. What they don't realize however, is that there are different sizes of appliances because there are different sizes of rooms. If you have a very small galley style kitchen for example, it would be a waste of money and electricity for you to buy a large air-conditioner which is designed to cool a huge great room.
Likewise, consider the size and habits of your family. If there are only two or three people living in your home you don't likely need the largest family sized refrigerator you can find. The same applies to your washing machine, and even your dishwasher.
When buying household appliances, there are many terms in numbers you may run into which seem confusing. Don't let this scare you away however, because these numbers can be powerful information which will help you lower your own electricity bills for many years to come. So ask questions, and compare labels on many different appliances before making your final decision.
If you're in the market for a new appliance, here are some things you should look for.
The energy guide: in the United States the Federal Trade Commission requires that appliance manufacturers must place labels on their products which tell you how much energy a particular appliance uses. This energy guide label is usually black and yellow, and it will tell you a lot of great details about the appliance you're thinking of buying. It will tell you for example, how much money this appliance will add to your electric bill each year. And it often tells you how energy-efficient the appliance is, even compared to other similar appliances.
The energy Star: the energy Star is a special logo that companies are allowed to use for their products which are more energy-efficient than most others. By law they are only allowed to display this energy Star logo if they have been tested and proven to meet or beat certain energy standards which are set by the government. Appliances which have the energy Star logo on them can be as little as 20% more efficient than other models, and they can go as high as more than 100% more efficient. So buying an appliance with the energy Star logo on it is most likely going to save you the most money on your electricity bill over the long run.
Bigger is not always better. Some people seem to think that they're supposed to buy the biggest appliance they can find. What they don't realize however, is that there are different sizes of appliances because there are different sizes of rooms. If you have a very small galley style kitchen for example, it would be a waste of money and electricity for you to buy a large air-conditioner which is designed to cool a huge great room.
Likewise, consider the size and habits of your family. If there are only two or three people living in your home you don't likely need the largest family sized refrigerator you can find. The same applies to your washing machine, and even your dishwasher.
When buying household appliances, there are many terms in numbers you may run into which seem confusing. Don't let this scare you away however, because these numbers can be powerful information which will help you lower your own electricity bills for many years to come. So ask questions, and compare labels on many different appliances before making your final decision.
