Every appliance comes with two price tags – the actual purchase price, and the cost of operating the appliance. Purchasing Energy Star certified appliances for your home can save you money and reduce your energy footprint without sacrificing performance.
Is It Worth The Price Increase?
One of the most frequent questions our sales staff gets asked in the appliance showroom is, “Are energy efficient appliances worth the price increase?” In most cases, yes!
Appliances typically last for 10 – 20 years. By choosing to purchase Energy Star certified appliances for your home, you’ll be using 10% to 50% less energy each year compared to non-energy efficient equivalents for the lifetime of the appliance. So yes, replacing appliances in your home with Energy Star certified appliances means you’re making an investment that will reduce your energy bill for years to come.
All Appliances Are Not Created Equal
If you can’t afford to replace every appliance with an Energy Star certified one, you could still reduce your energy costs by replacing these big energy hogs:
Washers And Dryers
Dryers are the most energy-hungry appliances in a typical home. Non-energy efficient dryers can consume as much energy as an energy efficient refrigerator, washing machine, and dishwasher combined. An Energy Star certified washer uses 40% - 50% less energy and about 55% less water than standard washers. Pairing an Energy Star certified washer and dryer will save you the most money, because it will reduce both your electric and water bill.
Refrigerators
With all the advancements in refrigerator technology, any refrigerator around 10 years old has become a huge energy hog. If your refrigerator is in this age category, upgrading to an Energy Star certified refrigerator will save you money by using up to 40% less energy than conventional models sold in the mid 2000s.
Dishwashers
While they may not use as much power as constantly-running refrigerators or high heat dryers, the electricity and water it takes to run one dishwasher cycle quickly adds up. Especially for families running 2 – 3 cycles a week. Energy Star certified dishwashers are 12% more efficient than non-certified models.
An Energy Efficient Home is a Happy Home
Any appliance that is Energy Star certified will include the Energy Star label. You’ll also find that almost all of your favorite, leading name brands make dozens of models that are Energy Star certified. This includes LG, Whirlpool, GE, Samsung, Frigidaire, and more. Be sure to tell the sales associate you want Energy Star certified, and they will point you in the right direction!
Given that the national average for local electric and water costs has risen year after year for some time, it makes investing in Energy Star certified appliances very ideal. It protects your family’s bottom line and is a way to do your part in reducing our collective energy footprint and preserving our environment.