Reading the Energy Guide Label

Best of all, a good deal of household energy efficiency practices turn on common sense principles.

Childhood lessons learned, such as turning off the lights when you leave the room and closing the door when you enter and leave the house, are by far the least expensive and most energy efficient activities practiced by family members every day.

Consumers who wish to move past basic energy efficiency lessons also need not fret. During the past two decades or so, technological improvements in common household appliances has transformed the appliance market.

Reading the 'EnergyGuide', (big yellow label with black writing attached) on an appliance provides the information about the amount of energy and the electricity costs associated with using the appliance over the course of a year.

The appliance could also have an "Energy Star" label, meaning the United States Environmental Protection Agency certifies it as among the most efficient of all the energy efficient models.

Once known, consumers can take this information to determine the true costs associated with purchasing and operating an appliance.

For example, anyone in the market for an electric hot water heater might look at two different models.

Model 1 retails for $399 and costs $350/year to operate.

Model 2 retails for $650 costs $275/year to operate.

Over the course of the water heater's five year tank warranty, Model 1 costs $2,149 and Model 2 costs $2,025. From this perspective, the more expensive water heater in the store really costs less over the course of five years.

It's important to note that the more expensive retail appliances provide the best long term energy savings. The yellow EnergyGuide label provides the yearly operating costs to help with consumer comparisons.

© 2000-2011. Patricia A. Michaels.