How do I navigate the bright yellow energy guide found on appliances? It’s fairly easy to read once you know what you are looking at. The yellow energy guide is found on appliances and is provided by the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency. The label helps consumers compare appliances and their energy efficiency. Consumers can estimate their energy costs based on how energy efficient their appliance is rated. Ideally, find an efficient appliance and you will not only reduce your energy costs, but also reduce air pollution and conserve natural resources.
For more information on Energy Star click here
The Energy Guide Label can is found on clothes washers, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, water heaters, window air conditioners, central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, and pool heaters. The Energy Guide Label will not appear on TVs, ranges, ovens, clothes dryers, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers.
The Energy Guide Label is an estimate of potential energy costs associated with the appliance. It’s based on average usage and the national average of energy cost. If you use the appliance more or less than the average estimate then your cost, will naturally increase or decrease. The same is true for the national average cost of energy. If you live in a location where energy costs more then you will pay more to use the appliance, likewise if the energy cost in your area is lower than the national average, your energy cost will be less than the estimate.
Energy Guide Labels are usually located on the appliance. It’s not uncommon to find the label on the appliance’s display, on the appliance’s box, or hanging inside the appliance’s box. If you are unable to locate the Energy Guide Label, ask for assistance or check the manufacturer’s website.
All Energy Guide Labels look similar, although some convey information differently. Depending on the appliance, you may or may not find the estimated operating cost. Furnaces, for example, will not have operating cost on the label. Dishwashers will have two operating costs, one based on a gas fueled water heater and one for an electric water heater.