Decorating The World

What you need to know when buying home appliances

• By admin
• 27 November, 2012
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Why You Should Check the Labels Before Buying

The market today is overflowing with eco-friendly appliances from a highly extensive collection of brands. These appliances also come with basic to advance features that heat up the competition. So in the face of all this, it can be pretty overwhelming for the regular consumer to choose the right home appliances to buy. If you are shopping for home appliances, here are some things you need to know so you can make an informed decision.

That Little Energy Star Label Makes All the Difference

Lately, a line has been drawn between standard appliances and those that bear the unmistakable Energy Star logo certifying their energy efficiency. You can find this label on fridges, washing machines and most appliances. If you’re a smart consumer, you will opt for these newer energy efficient models rather than old energy sharks, even though they sometimes cost more to buy. Keep in mind that in buying appliances, the operating cost is more important than the purchase price, as this is the cost that you have to pay on a regular monthly basis.

The Energy Star label is the seal of approval issued by the Environmental Protection Agency. This label simply means that any certified product consumes 20% less energy compared to their non-Energy Star counterparts.

Products with an Energy Star label will also have an EER or Energy Efficiency Rating, which helps consumers more specifically measure the efficiency of an appliance. The higher the EER rating means, the lower the power consumption is.

Keep an Eye Out for Water Sense Labels When Buying Washers and Dishwashers

Most appliances use the Energy Star label as a basis of energy efficiency, but energy is not the only resource that home appliances use. Many home appliances also use a lot of water. In fact, in the US alone, the EPA estimates that 60% of the public water supplies are being consumed for residential use.

This is the rationale behind the EPA’s Water Sense program, which also issues a special label indicating water efficiency for washers and dishwashers.

Look Out for International Certifications

EPEAT is a definitive global registry for green electronics and an easy way of finding eco-friendly consumer electronics and appliances that are made in other countries.

On the other hand, European-made appliances bear the EEL (European Energy Label) ratings, which are provided in the form of Energy Performance Certificates. EEL rates your appliances from A to G, and labels them in dark green (most efficient) to red (least efficient). There’s also the TCO label, which certifies that a product contains less eco-hazardous materials.

For Japan-made products, look for the ECCJ label, Japan’s own version of the Energy Star label. This is provided by the Energy Saving Labeling Program (JAPAN). Meanwhile, products from China should conform to China Standard Certification Center, formerly known as China Certification Center for Energy Conservation Products (CECP), an organization that devotes great amounts of its resources in promoting energy-saving products.

In India, BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) products are labeled to reduce energy intensity in the Indian economy. South Korea, on the other hand, also introduced KEMCO (Korea Energy Management Corporation) with the task of reducing greenhouse gases and efficient use of non-renewable energy.

Choosing an eco-friendly product will significantly decrease your monthly bills and give you a chance to help save the environment at the same time. The next time you go shopping for brand new appliances, check the labels, and it will also help even more if you can promote public awareness by sharing and educating others to shop for home appliances the greener way.…