Thank you, Energy Star

The good news is that appliances are much more energy-efficient today than they used to be. Thanks to the Energy Star program, appliance manufacturers are competing to make their products more and more energy efficient. You can take advantage of this when you shop for a new appliance.

The information on the yellow Energy Star label makes it easy to compare different models. You'll see estimates for annual power use, annual operating cost, and a performance range for similar models from other manufacturers. In short, Energy Star makes it easy to buy the most efficient appliances you can afford.

The yellow Energy Guide label makes it
easy to compare different models.

But it's still important to read the Energy Star label. That's because there's quite a range of projected operating costs among Energy Star appliances. For example, a dishwasher must exceed Federal standards by 41% to earn an Energy Star rating. But some Energy Star dishwashers can exceed the Federal standard by over 141%.

Saving More than Electricity

When you upgrade to an Energy Star-rated dishwasher or clothes washer, you'll save water as well as energy. Quite a bit of water, in fact.

A dishwasher manufactured before 1994 wastes about 8 gallons of water with every wash cycle, compared to an Energy Star model. An old clothes washer can use 17 more gallons per load than an Energy Star model. And wasting water could mean wasting energy in another way too if you're using hot water you paid to heat. Beware of the double whammy.

When you upgrade to Energy Star-
rated appliances you can save
water as well as energy.

Everyday Energy Savings

If you've replaced older appliances with Energy Star models, you can amplify your home energy savings even further by doing a few simple things:

• Don't neglect proper maintenance. Dr. Energy Saver can make sure your appliances are operating at peak efficiency by performing basic maintenance and verifying that appliance settings are correct.
• Only wash full loads in the dishwasher.
• Eliminate the dishwasher's powered drying cycle and allow dishes to air-dry.
• Only wash full loads of clothes, and use cold water for wash and rinse cycles whenever possible.
• Make sure to keep the lint filter clean in your clothes dryer. Have Dr. Energy Saver upgrade your flexible "white hose" to solid metal vent, so your drier can circulate more air and dry your clothes faster.

For an assessment of your appliances and information on how to save energy and water at home, sign up for a Home Energy Checkup worth Dr. Energy Saver.

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