The bright yellow EnergyGuide label you see on new appliances is placed on some equipment to tell you how much energy the appliance uses, a helpful tip when you’re shopping for a new appliance. A more energy-efficient appliance costs less to run because it consumes less energy than an appliance that is not energy efficient, which is good for your wallet and the environment. The more energy efficient an appliance is, the lower your utility bills will be.

Reading the EnergyGuide label is simple once you know what each section is telling you. The yellow-and-black label includes:

• Key features of the appliance you’re looking at
• The manufacturer, model and size
• A dollar figure which represents the estimated yearly operating cost based on the appliance’s electricity use and the national average cost of energy. Below this number is the cost range for models with similar features.
• The estimated yearly electricity use. To determine what your actual operating costs will be, you can multiply this number by your local electricity rate.
• The Energy Star logo, which means the product you’re looking at uses less energy than standard models.

The labels may be a bit different for some appliances. Furnaces, for example, will not have operating costs on the label. Dishwashers have two costs — one for use with an electric water heater and the other for use with a natural gas water heater.

Not all appliances require the EnergyGuide label. Washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, water heaters, furnaces, boilers, heat pumps and pool heaters will have this label, while ovens, ranges, dryers, humidifiers and dehumidifiers do not.

If there is no label on the appliance you’re looking at, look inside. Some manufacturers hang it inside the appliance. If the label is missing, go to the manufacturer’s website or find a retailer selling the appliance online and see if they’ve posted it there.

If you live in or around the Asheville area and would like expert advice on the EnergyGuide label and how to use it when selecting an appliance, contact Smoky Mountain Heating & Air.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about the EnergyGuide label and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Smoky Mountain Heating & Air services Asheville, North Carolina and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!