Local Knowledge About Energy Efficient Appliances

Appliances account for about 20% of your household's energy consumption, with refrigerators and clothes dryers at the top of the consumption list. When you're shopping for appliances, you can think of two price tags. The first one covers the purchase price—think of it as a down payment. The second price tag is the cost of operating the appliance during its lifetime. You'll be paying on that second price tag every month with your utility bill for the next 10 to 20 years, depending on the appliance. There can be a significant difference from model to model in the energy consumption of these appliances. Energy Guide labels are present on all major appliances to help you select the most efficient models. These labels compare the model bearing the label with other similar models. However, this information does not indicate whether you have selected the most efficient appliance. The most efficient appliance will have certain features that should guide the purchaser to selecting the most efficient model. One example: top loading vertical axis clothes washers are not as efficient as front loading, horizontal axis models - both in energy and water use. The improvement by using a front loader can exceed 50% in both energy and water use.