Purchasing Checklists
Appliances
How to purchase an energy efficient appliance
Your dishwasher or refrigerator is on its last legs, and you have decided it’s time to purchase a new one. Along with cost, design, and added features, energy efficiency is an important factor to consider. Here is a quick checklist to use before you buy and while you are in stores ensure you get the appliance that fits your needs.
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Before going to the store, educate yourself on which appliance you wish to buy and the characteristics that make it energy efficient. Different appliances use electricity in different ways, and so it is important to understand what to look for in the appliance you wish to purchase. For instance, |
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- Energy efficient clothes washers clean clothes using 50 percent less energy than standard washers and use 18-25 gallons of water per load, compared to the 40 gallons used by a standard machine;
- Most ENERGY STAR-designated dishwashers use 41 percent less energy than the federal minimum standard for energy consumption and 35 to 50 percent less water and 50 percent less energy per load;
- ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerator models use at least 15 percent less energy than required by current federal standards and 40 percent less energy than the conventional models sold in 2001.
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Once you are at the store, look for the ENERGY STAR label on appliances. |
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- ENERGY STAR is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. All ENERGY STAR-designated appliances meet national energy efficiency standards. Look for this label to be sure the appliance is energy efficient.
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While comparison shopping, make sure to consult the yellow EnergyGuide label, usually located inside the appliance. |
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- The EnergyGuide label provides information on how much energy the particular appliance you are looking at saves, how it compares in energy savings to other similar appliances, and what your average cost savings will be. Use this information to make comparisons for your purchasing decision.
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Buy your energy efficient appliance! |
Lighting
How to Purchase Energy Efficient Lighting
One of the easiest things that you can do to become more energy efficient is replace all of your older, energy inefficient incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient ones. Replacing incandescent bulbs can mean more than just changing a light bulb, so if you plan on making this change, follow these steps:
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Determine which rooms in your home you wish to switch light bulbs. |
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- You may decide that you want to change the bulbs in every room in your house or only certain rooms. If you are changing only select bulbs, pick the rooms where your lights are on the most, like the family room or kitchen. You'll be saving more energy that way.
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Educate yourself on CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs). |
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- The most common form of energy efficient light bulbs are compact fluorescent lightbulbs, or CFLs. CFLs use at least 2/3 less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, last up to 10 times longer, and save $30 or more in energy costs over each bulb's lifetime.
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Once in the store, make sure you match the right CFL to the right kind of fixture. |
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- Matching the right CFL to the right kind of fixture helps ensure that it will perform properly. Read the packaging to be sure that the type you choose works for the fixture you have in mind, especially since some CFLs have trouble operating in enclosed fixtures. For example,
- If a light fixture is connected to a dimmer or 3-way switch, select CFLs that are labeled for this use;
- For recessed fixtures, it is better to use a ‘reflector’ CFL versus a standard-shaped bulb.
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Make sure you choose the color that works for your home and with the right amount of light. |
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- CFLs can come in warm colors that will work well in your home. You may want to choose a cooler color for your garage or a work area. Additionally, match the lumen rating of your new CFLs with the lumen rating of the bulb you are replacing. The higher the lumen rating, the greater the light output.
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Buy your energy efficient lighting and install! |
Room-by-Room
Kitchen
The kitchen is the room with the most appliances, which means it’s the first place you should start in making your home energy efficient. Your checklist for an energy efficient kitchen should include:
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Purchase an energy efficient refrigerator: ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerator models use high efficiency compressors, improved insulation, and more precise temperature and defrost mechanisms to improve energy efficiency. They also use at least 15 percent less energy than required by current federal standards and 40 percent less energy than the conventional models sold in 2001. |
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Purchase an energy efficient dishwasher: ENERGY STAR-qualified dishwashers use at least 41 percent less energy than the federal minimum standard for energy consumption and use much less water than conventional models. |
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Purchase pots and pans that fit the size of your stovetop burners: A 6” pot on an 8” burner wastes over 40 percent of the burner’s heat. Using the right sized pot on stove burners can save about $36 annually for an electric range, or $18 for gas. If you have a gas range, keep the burners clean to ensure maximum efficiency. |
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Purchase appropriate lighting: Make sure the lights in your kitchen are energy efficient. Many kitchens have recessed lighting, and it is often a challenge to ensure that those lights are efficient. Check the packaging of CFLs or other energy efficient lights to make sure they can be used in recessed lighting. |
Living Room
Most families spend a lot of time in their living rooms, so it is important to make sure that family space is as energy efficient as possible. Your checklist for an energy efficient living room should include:
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Purchase a ceiling fan: More and more homes are using ceiling fans to help control their indoor climate.
- Make sure you buy one with a switch that allows you to reverse the motor and operate the ceiling fan in both directions. In the winter, run the blades clockwise to force warm air near the ceiling down into the living space. In the summer, run the blades counter-clockwise to cool more efficiently.
- On hotter days, dialing up the thermostat by only two degrees and using your ceiling fan can lower air conditioning costs by up to 14 percent over the course of the cooling season.
- Use CFLs in the ceiling fan light fixture for cooler light bulbs and more energy savings. And remember: when you leave the room, turn the ceiling fan off.
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Purchase energy efficient home electronics, including televisions, DVD players, and home audio systems. Home electronics are one of the fastest growing areas of energy consumption in households. But the home electronics that everyone uses - televisions, DVD players, and stereos - all have energy efficient versions commercially available. Look for the ENERGY STAR symbol when you make your next home electronic purchase. |
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Purchase power strips for your living room. Since your living room has all of these electronics, it is good idea to use a power strip as a central “turn off” point for electronics, video games, and computers when not in use. |
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Purchase a fireplace insert to make your fireplace more energy efficient. Winter in New England often means a roaring fire, but a typical, vertical-back fireplace with an open front is at best ten percent efficient in converting wood to energy and delivering it to a room. Purchase a fireplace inserts, a wood-, pellet-, or gas-fueled appliance that fit into a conventional open fireplace. Wood-fired inserts range from being63 percent to 72 percent efficient. Pellet fueled appliances are about 80 percent. (Courtesy the Residential ENERGY Smart Library)
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Office
In your home office are many pieces of equipment that are costing you energy and money. Make sure your home office is as energy efficient as possible. Your checklist for an energy efficient home office should include:
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Purchase a multi-function device for your home office. A multifunction device combines several capabilities that are important for your home office – printing, faxing, copying, and scanning. It will also remove clutter. Make sure you buy an ENERGY STAR qualified device. |
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Purchase an energy efficient computer and make sure its power management features are activated. An ENERGY STAR qualified computer uses 70 percent less electricity than computers without enabled power management features. Enabling power management features, like setting your computer to automatic sleep mode, uses less energy and makes sure that the equipment last longer. |
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Purchase power strips for your office. Your home office has a lot of electronic devices, so buy a power strip for your home office to use as a central "turn off" point for all the devices. |
Bathroom
It goes without saying that the bathroom is one of the most frequently used rooms in your house. You can make it more energy efficient. Your checklist for an energy efficient bathroom should include:
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Purchase energy efficient vanity lights. The bathroom vanity is one of the highest-use fixtures in the average home. Replace your current lighting with ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs to save energy and money. |
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Purchase an energy efficient shower head. With a new 2.5 gallon-per-minute (low-flow) shower head, a 10 minute shower will use about 25 gallons of water, saving you 5 gallons of water over a typical bath. A new showerhead will also save energy - up to $145 each year on electricity, beating out both the bath and an old-fashioned showerhead. |
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Purchase a ventilation fan. Installing a properly sized ENERGY STAR qualified ventilation fan will control moisture in the air while you shower or bathe, as well as control mold and mildew growth. ENERGY STAR qualified ventilation fans are much quieter than standard models and use 65 percent less energy on average than standard models, saving $120 in electricity costs. |
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Purchase sealants, including caulking and sealing foam. Sealing around drafty windows, baseboards, and floors in your bathroom can help avoid common mold and moisture problems. |
Bedroom
Your bedroom can be a sanctuary, an alternative to the family room, or just the place you sleep. Whatever it is, make sure it is also energy efficient! Your checklist for an energy efficient bedroom should include:
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Purchase energy efficient lighting. Chances are, like many Americans, you read or do work before you go to bed. Make sure that the bulbs in your bedroom, both overhead lights and desk lamps, are energy efficient light bulbs. The most common form of energy efficient light bulbs available are compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs. CFLs use at least 2/3 less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, last up to 10 times longer, and save $30 or more in energy costs over each bulb’s lifetime. |
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Purchase energy efficient windows. If you currently have single paned windows in your home, you are losing both energy and money. Purchase triple-glazed, moderate-solar-gain, Low-E glass, which can save you up to 39 percent on your annual heating costs and over $500 a year. |
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Purchase an energy efficient room air conditioner. Many New Englanders keep room air conditioners in their bedrooms to deal with hot summer nights. Purchase an ENERGY STAR-qualified model, which uses at least 10 percent less energy than standard models. Additionally, make sure you insulate it from the outside with a tight-fitting a/c unit cover or remove from your window during the winter. |
Basement/Attic
You may keep a lot of old things in the basement, but you should not be keeping your old, inefficient appliances there. Both your basement and attic are areas in the home that can become more energy efficient. Your checklist for an energy efficient basement and attic should include:
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Purchase an energy efficient clothes washer. ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers use half the energy of standard washers to clean clothes. They also use less water, and have a better spin cycle allowing for less drying time. |
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Perhaps a clothes dryer that comes with a moisture or humidity sensor. ENERGY STAR does not label clothes dryers because most dryers use similar amounts of energy. Nevertheless, dryers with a moisture or humidity sensor save energy by shutting off the heat when clothes are dry. Make sure your new dryer includes this function. |
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Purchase fiberglass insulation, caulking, and foam to seal air leaks in your basement and attic. Both areas of your home may have large holes allowing air leaks. Insulation, caulking and foam will help you seal the big holes letting air in and out. Consult a guide to sealing your home before you take on this project. |
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Purchase an energy efficient dehumidifier. Many homes have dehumidifiers in their basement to reduce excess moisture. If you decide you need a dehumidifier for your home, look for one that's earned the ENERGY STAR. They use less energy, and can save more than $200 in energy costs over the life of the unit. |
