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How Energy Efficient Are ENERGY STAR® Appliances?

May 23, 2014

In a typical American household, appliances account for 21 – 25% of the utility bill. One way to reduce this cost is by replacing older appliances with energy efficient ENERGY STAR models. How energy efficient are ENERGY STAR appliances? Here are some examples:

1. ENERGY STAR Qualified Dishwasher

  • Costs less than $35 a year to run.
  • 5% more energy efficient than a non-qualified model.
  • Saves 15% more water than a non-qualified model.

2. ENERGY STAR Qualified Refrigerator

  • 20% more energy efficient than a model that meets the minimum federal energy efficiency standard.
  • Can potentially cut energy bills by more than $125 over the lifetime of the fridge.

3. ENERGY STAR Qualified Freezer

  • 10% more energy efficient than a model that meets the minimum federal energy efficiency standard.

4. ENERGY STAR Qualified Clothes Washer

  • On average uses 270 KWh of electricity and costs $85 a year to run (compared to $225 for a 10+ year-old washer).
  • Uses 35% less water and 20% less energy than a non-qualified model.
  • Can save up to 27,000 gallons of water over the lifetime of the machine.

5. ENERGY STAR Qualified Dehumidifier

  • Uses 15% less energy to remove the same amount of moisture as a similarly sized conventional unit.
  • Saves consumers more than $150 over the course of its lifetime.
  • Amount of energy saved by an ENERGY STAR qualified dehumidifier could power an ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator for 4 months.

6. ENERGY STAR Air Purifiers

  • 40% more energy efficient than a non-qualified model.
  • Saves consumers around 230 kWh and $25 annually on utility bills.
  • Could save consumers up to $200 over the lifetime of the machine.

If for a period of one year all the appliances bought in the U.S. were ENERGY STAR qualified, it would prevent annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of 420,000 vehicles, conserve 25 billion gallons of water, and save nearly $580 million in energy costs. To learn more about energy efficient appliances, talk to a RESNET Qualified EnergySmart Contractor.