If you’ve been shopping around for new heating or cooling equipment for your Atlanta home, chances are you’ve seen the Energy Star logo on just about every appliance available these days. Energy Star is an international energy efficiency standard that applies to products made in the USA, and has become pretty ubiquitous over the years since its creation in 1992.
You probably already know that devices marked with the Energy Star logo generally use 20 to 30 percent less energy than is required by federal standards. But if you’ve been shopping for appliances lately, you may have seen the new “Most Efficient” label that has been added to the familiar Energy Star rating.
What Does the “Most Efficient” Energy Star Label Mean?
The “Most Efficient” label is entirely self-explanatory – it’s being added to newer appliances to indicate which energy efficient appliances are the most efficient overall. Since energy efficiency on the whole has made huge strides since the original introduction of the program, and virtually every new model of appliance that’s manufactured is required to meet Energy Star standards, the “most efficient” label provides consumers with a way to tell the very best appliances from the rest.
The Energy Star “Most Efficient” Label
How Does a Product Earn the “Most Efficient” Label?
In order to be rated “Most Efficient,” an appliance or product must demonstrate that it operates on the highest level of energy efficiency for products of its type. For example, a furnace would have to have an AFUE rating of 97 percent or higher to be rated “Most Efficient.”
One great thing about the “Most Efficient” label that you’ll appreciate as a consumer is that manufacturers are not allowed to assign the label to their own products, which was the case with the original Energy Star logo. This means that when you see the “Most Efficient” label, you know you’re making an informed and accurate choice.
What Else Should I Know About Energy Star Ratings?
The easiest way to learn all about the Energy Star rating and the new Most Efficient label is to head over to the Energy Star website. They’ve got a comprehensive breakdown of the Most Efficient models of every product and appliance for 2013, categorized and sub-categorized for easy searching and comparison. They even include lots of other useful information about each unit, like its capacity, energy usage, operational costs, and other technical details that pertain to that particular type of appliance like SEER, HSPF or AFUE.
If you still have questions about Energy Star appliances and want to make an informed decision before investing in replacement heating or cooling equipment, just give R.S. Andrews a call and we’ll make sure you’ve got everything you need to know about making your home as energy-efficient as possible.