There are now some tax credits you can get for having an energy-efficient appliance, so we wanted to revisit this topic again to ensure you are getting the proper appliances for your home that will get you a tax credit and save you money on your electric bill.
What is Energy Star?
We have to go all the way back to 1992 for the origination of the Energy Star logo. This was a combined effort of various government agencies as well as commercial and industrial organizations to develop a program to denote the energy efficiency of appliances. The program has since been picked up around the world and has set the standard in terms of energy efficiency of appliances. The Energy Star logo is ONLY placed on appliances that meet these strict standards.
Do They Really Save Money?
The short answer to that question is “yes.†If they have the logo, you can rest assured that the appliance meets the minimum standards of this program.
Better Performance
An added benefit to using Energy Star appliances is that they generally have features that enable them to perform at a higher level than “standard†appliances. Honestly, today, you will be challenged to find appliances that do not meet this standard.
Cost Savings
We are all looking for ways to save money, and the very nature of these appliances means that they are running at a more cost-effective level than non-Energy Star appliances. When you look at the savings of these appliances on your monthly electric bill, you may find that the appliance pays for itself in just a few years.
Better Selection
As noted above, most companies have started to focus on energy-efficient appliances rather than non-conforming appliances. With the government shifting to more environmentally friendly appliances, the selection has improved dramatically over the last decade or so when it comes to Energy Star appliance options.
Reduced Footprint
As we noted, with these appliances comes more energy efficiency, which means a smaller carbon footprint. These appliances minimize energy uses, therefore, you are doing your part to keep the carbon footprint as low as possible when using your appliances.
ROI
Even if you are not into protecting the environment, the return on investment of these appliances should be enough to get you to consider buying an Energy Star appliance. I still remember one of the first apartments that I lived in that had older, non-compliant appliances. I actually bought my own stove and fridge and ended up saving $35 per month on electric. In three years, I paid for both appliances in just energy savings.
