Here's How to Read and Understand the EnergyGuide Label

The federal government, to encourage energy efficiency, has set up an easy-to-understand system that helps consumers tell which appliances and other energy-consuming products use less energy than others. The distinctive yellow EnergyGuide label, affixed to a wide range of products, provides hard information on each product, comparing its energy use and cost of operation to other, similar products.

The program operates under the umbrella of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy. It’s linked to the Energy Star program, which awards the familiar blue logo to energy-using products that achieve minimum energy efficiency and other standards.

Products that get the EnergyGuide label include central air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, clothes washers, freezers, dishwashers, refrigerators, TVs, water heaters, and more. Products that aren’t part of the program include humidifiers and dehumidifiers, ovens and ranges, and clothes dryers.

Information on the EnergyGuide Label Includes:

• The product’s size, model number, and manufacturer.
• How much electricity the product can be expected to use in a typical year in kilowatts. The label makes it clear that these costs will be influenced by utility costs and how much you use the product.
• The estimated yearly cost of operating the product (employing average national electricity costs). That amount is placed on a straight-line continuum so you can see how it compares to other, similar products.
• Features the product offers.

In addition, if the product qualifies for the Energy Star, that logo will appear on the corner of the EnergyGuide label. Products that qualify for Energy Star consideration include TVs, computers, refrigerators, water heaters, air conditioners, heat pumps, windows and insulation, among many other products.

The Energy Star is a “mark of excellence” where energy use is concerned. To qualify for the Energy Star, a product must bring significant and measurable energy savings; offer features and performance expected by consumers seeking that sort of product; offer energy savings that more than compensate for any extra cost; and employ technology that’s not limited to one company.

For more guidance on energy-using appliances and products for your Corpus Christi-area home, please contact us at CCAC, Inc.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about EnergyGuide label and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 361-678-2495.

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