New Year, New Appliances: 4 Things to Look for When Purchasing Energy-Efficient Appliances

Is part of your New Year’s resolution to upgrade some appliances in your home? Most often the appliances in our homes are the largest consumers of energy. Upgrading to more energy-efficient appliances may help save on your monthly energy bills and can be the best way to maximize your potential for long-term energy savings. When doing research on your new appliance purchases, here are five things to keep in mind.

EnergyGuide Label

When shopping for energy-efficient appliances most customers knows to look for the Energy Star® certified sticker, but are you aware of the EnergyGuide label? The U.S. Department of Energy requires almost all appliances to carry a yellow EnergyGuide label. This label provides consumers with information on estimated yearly operating costs and energy consumption. EnergyGuide labels can help provide some insight into how much you could save or spend of the lifetime of the appliance.

Smart Appliances

The technology in our world continues to grow “smarter” and the appliances in our homes are getting smarter as well. Smart thermostats are becoming very popular devices that can help homeowners create energy-efficient strategies by learning your energy usage habits and adjusting accordingly. There are smart refrigerators and dishwashers on the market as well. When making your appliance purchasing decisions you should consider if purchasing smart home appliances are worth the investment.

Upfront Cost vs. Long-term Savings

It can be easy to get sticker shock when shopping for new home appliances. Advancement in technology often times comes with a price. However, you should consider that even though the more energy-efficient appliances can have a higher up-front cost, the lifetime saving benefits of energy-efficient appliances can help you save more money in the long run.

Energy-Saving Settings

As you are checking out all the bells and whistles of your potential new appliance purchase, be sure to look for the energy-saving settings the appliance offers. Washing machines and dishwashers often have and “eco” or “energy saver” setting that is designed to use energy and water more efficiently based on needs of each usage.