Remodeling New Year’s Resolution

As January approaches, you may be deciding on your New Year's remodeling resolutions. This is a great opportunity to make some additions to your home and save money on your energy bill. Consider purchasing home appliances with the Energy Star label. Products with the Energy Star label are more efficient and will help cut your spending.

The Energy Star label was established to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants caused by the inefficient use of energy. The label makes it easier for consumers to identify and purchase more energy efficient products. The products labeled with the Energy Star offer savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance or features.

Products only earn the Energy Star label by meeting six specific guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency. The guidelines are:

• Product categories must contribute significant energy savings nationwide
  
• Qualified products must deliver the features and performance demanded by consumers, in addition to increased energy efficiency
  
• If the qualified product costs more than a conventional, less-efficient counterpart, purchasers will recover their investment in increased energy efficiency through utility bill savings, within a reasonable period of time
• Energy efficiency can be achieved through broadly available, non-proprietary technologies offered by more than one manufacturer
• Product energy consumption and performance can be measured and verified with testing
• Labeling would effectively differentiate products and be visible for purchasers
  

To find a list of all products with the Energy Star label check out the Energy Star website.