Energy Efficient Appliances

What is an 'Energy Star appliance?

An 'Energy Star' appliance is one that meets government standards for using less energy than a comparable appliance that's not an 'Energy Star' model. Most household appliances can be purchased with an Energy Star rating. Everything from refrigerators to air conditioners to washers and dryers, even VCRs and DVD players come with an Energy Star rating.

How can an Energy Star appliance help the environment and save me money?

An Energy Star appliance reduces environmental impact by using less energy, mainly in the form of electricity by being more efficient. For instance, refrigerators may have more insulation on them and might have a more efficient compressor. A wash machine would use less water and maybe have a more efficient electrical motor. Sometimes Energy Star appliances may cost more money. Most of the time, if you look at the economic analysis you're going to make that money up in the amount of money you save.

Do my appliances use electricity even when they are turned off?

Most appliances still use electricity even when they're turned off. For example, a DVD player will keep the time shown on it. Most television sets still use electricity when they're turned off and that's how it has a sensor to know when the remote wants to turn it on. If you want to completely reduce or completely eliminate the use of electricity by an appliance, you can either turn it off by plugging it into a power strip or unplug it from the wall.

What is a phantom load?

A phantom load is an electrical use by an appliance, when you don't really expect it to be using electricity. For instance, most equipment, even when the power button is turned off, still use electricity. Some of the internal components are still turned on. So that's what it would be called a phantom load.

What is an energy auditor?

An energy auditor is a person that comes to your home and will check to identify places that you can save energy. They might recommend installing weather stripping, changing different appliances, and might even recommend different ways that you can operate your appliances to make them more efficient. They can also use devices to check which appliances are drawing the most energy and might help you realize whether or not you want to use those as often as you do.