Skip to content As we all know, all appliances can account from 30% or more of our home energy usage. As our dependence on each appliance increase, the energy requirement also increases. At this point, it is important to know how to choose energy efficient appliances because it uses less electricity and can still achieve the same level of performance to similar models with the same size or capacity.
The Department of Energy (DOE) is planning to impose integrating “star rating” on ordinary household electrical appliances in the coming months as a guide for the consumers to know their energy consumption. The star rating of an appliance is determined from the energy consumption and size of the product.
Read: How to cut down electricity monthly bill
The directive will be addressed to the manufacturers of the electrical appliances. The labels on the following devices can show a maximum of ten (10) stars:
- Televisions
- Computer monitors
- Refrigerators
- Air conditioners
- Washing machines
- Dryers; and
- Dishwashers
Meaning, products with ten stars are the most efficient. The ones with one star however, are the less efficient = more consumption.
The rating will be based on the number of stars indicated. More stars mean higher energy efficiency. Therefore, the consuming public has to look for the appliances that can help them save more on energy and would provide a large cut on their electrical bills. There are models with 6 stars or less and it will be displayed on the label out of six stars and shown in half-star increments. The super efficient models of 7 of 10 stars have no increment and are shown in single star increments.
The DOE also confirmed that appliances with inverter technology like: refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioning units can indeed lower a household’s electrical energy consumption. Inverter technology (DC) is considered the latest evolution of technology. This is concerning the speed of the electro motors of the compressors to continuously regulate the temperature.
It was recently introduced in the market to provide significant cuts on the electric bill although inverter technology units are more expensive compared to the conventional units. The term inverter in electronics usually means converting DC in AC at a desired frequency and voltage.
