WhiteFence.com Releases 5 Tips for Consumers on Purchasing Energy Efficient Appliances
Houston, TX (PRWEB) July 03, 2013 -- Today, WhiteFence.com is releasing five tips on purchasing energy efficient appliances. When consumers look at their energy use, they’ll notice that all the major appliances, including their refrigerator, washer and dryer and dishwasher, are responsible for a large portion of their utility bills.
Unfortunately, if consumers have an outdated major appliance that is more than 10 years old, they’re likely spending a lot more money on their home energy costs than necessary.
Today’s household appliances aren’t energy hogs like their outdated models, because the government now requires manufacturers to meet certain federal energy efficiency standards, which have grown tighter over the years.
So buying new, rather than purchasing a used appliance, may actually save the consumer money in the long run. Consider this: A refrigerator purchased today uses less than half the energy than a fridge that is a decade old or older.
The key is finding the right energy efficient appliances that use the least amount of energy.
Here are five tips for consumers considering the purchase of a major appliance:
1. Always seek out an ENERGY STAR labeled appliance. ENERGY STAR appliances are considered the highest energy efficient products on the market. They always exceed the minimum energy efficiency ratings created by the federal government. To encourage you to purchase ENERGY STAR products, many utility companies and even governmental agencies offer rebates on these appliances.
2. Learn how to read an EnergyGuide label. Don’t be fooled into thinking that an appliance is ranked energy efficient because it carries an EnergyGuide label. All new appliances are required to carry them now. The label gives consumers the ability to do apples-to-apples comparisons of different models, comparing how much energy the appliance consumes and its operating costs.
3. Find the right-sized appliance for your energy needs. If you’re renting a small apartment, you probably don’t need an oversized air conditioner, which will waste energy and cost you more money. Instead, figure out what your needs are, and purchase the right-sized energy efficient appliance. This can apply to many appliances, including your water heater and refrigerator.
4. Purchase natural gas appliances rater than electric. It’s more energy efficient to use natural gas directly in your home, rather than having the power company burn the gas at a power plant, convert the gas heat to electricity and then send that power through wires to your home for you to use. There are several appliances, including dryers, water heaters and stoves that operate on natural gas.
5. Consider your purchase a long-term investment. Most energy-efficient appliances will cost you more upfront, but they will be saving you money in the long run. Most major appliances have a life span between 10 to 20 years, and will likely pay for itself through lower utility bills each month. If you’re considering the purchase of a water or dishwasher, you’ll also be using a lot less water, which can lower your water bill.
Purchasing an energy efficient appliance doesn’t just save the consumer money, but helps the environment as well. If all of us use less energy, then we decrease our demands on the power plants, which create less pollution, decreasing our carbon footprint on the environment.
About WhiteFence.com
WhiteFence.com is a free service that helps homeowners and renters compare, connect and save money on phone, internet, television, electricity, natural gas, and other home services. By simply entering a street address onto the secure site, people looking to save money or start new service can find the most comprehensive list of plans available for their specific address from over 300 nationally recognized partners. As a trusted home service shopping source for 20 million people annually, WhiteFence.com makes it easy to establish service directly on the site in a few simple steps. WhiteFence.com is an Internet Capital Group partner company. WhiteFence.com is headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, please visit WhiteFence.com.
Neil Austin, WhiteFence, http://www.whitefence.com/, (713) 663-0183, [email protected]
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