We see it all the time – that blue “ENERGY STAR®” square, planted on various products, from LED light bulbs and personal computers to home refrigerators and sound systems. What you may not know is that this certification label was actually created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to guarantee significant energy savings.

That’s great, but it would be really nice if that blue square could also guarantee significant budget savings.

It’s not easy to calculate home savings with energy-efficient products, so we want to break it down for you with a simple “cheat sheet.”

Price of ENERGY STAR Appliances

It's important to compare prices and future savings when purchasing new appliances for your home.
First, let’s compare the prices of ENERGY STAR appliances versus non-certified models. Surely the ENERGY STAR products cost more, right? Well, you’d be surprised. It used to be the case years ago - non-certified appliances could cost anywhere from $30 to $200 less than their ENERGY STAR certified counterparts. That’s a lot of money just to hope the investment pays for itself. Thanks to the high demand of ENERGY STAR products over the past few years, manufacturers have developed more certified appliances than non-certified. This means the cost has decreased so much that ENERGY STAR products no longer cost more than their counterparts, and, in some cases, cost even less.

Savings of ENERGY STAR Appliances

 

 

We recommend you calculate the long-term savings from improving the energy efficiency of your appliances.

 

 

So now that we know we won’t be investing extra money by choosing an ENERGY STAR over a non-certified product, let’s see how much we can actually save with our decision. The following chart pulls information from ENERGYSTAR.gov to give you a quick overview of key household appliances and their cost savings.

 

Please note: this chart compares 2015 non-certified models to 2015 ENERGY STAR models since the 2016 report hasn’t been released as of the publication of this post. And in general, any new appliance will save you money, since outdated appliances become less efficient over time. Since upgrading your appliance is a good idea anyway, why not save a few bucks (and help the environment) while you’re at it?

Average Household
Bill Savings for 2015 ENERGY STAR vs. 2015 Non-certified Models
Cost Savings per Year 5-year Savings* Average Lifespan Lifespan Savings*
Clothes Washer $40 $189 11 years $415
Clothes Dryer $16 $67 12 years $160
Dishwasher $2 $10 10 years $20
Dehumidifier $17 $71 7 years $100
Refrigerator $6 $30 12 years $72
Freezer $4 $20 11 years $44
Air Conditioners $11 $55 9 years $99
Air Purifier $27 $119 9 years $215

*5-year and Lifespan savings account for the effects of continuous usage over time. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Consumer Messaging Guide for ENERGY STAR Certified Appliances.

Wow! In just a year, you could save over $100 by choosing new ENERGY STAR appliances over new standard appliances. And you’ll see even greater savings when compared to the older models you’re replacing. In 5 years, this amounts to nearly $600 in savings compared to other 2015 models.

Additional Savings

In addition to the money you’ll save by conserving energy, ENERGY STAR offers tax credits on some appliances and tax-free events to encourage consumers to get involved in helping the environment.

 

As a company that always encourages our customers to use less of what we sell, Direct Energy had to get involved in this ENERGY STAR movement. We are now proud to offer our Texas customers up to 40% savings on the purchase of ENERGY STAR LED light bulbs through our Efficiency Connection program.

To qualify for these savings, you need to live in an eligible zip code serviced by either CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, AEP Texas, or Texas-New Mexico Power.

On average, replacing 15 standard light bulbs with ENERGY STAR LEDs can save about $50 per year. And with the discounts we’re providing, who could say no to that?!

Let’s Recap

Here’s what you need to remember about saving with ENERGY STAR products:
  • The ENERGY STAR label guarantees significant energy savings.
  • ENERGY STAR appliances do not cost any more than standard appliances.
  • Compared to same-year, non-certified models, ENERGY STAR products can save over $100 a year.
  • Check ENERGY STAR’s site and state promos for additional savings, like tax credits and tax-free events.
  • Eligible Direct Energy customers can save up to 40% off ENERGY STAR LED light bulbs through our Efficiency Connection program.

What are you waiting for? Start looking for that little blue square!

Want to save even more? Sign up for an electricity plan with Direct Energy and you'll get the tools you need to track your appliances' usage and stay energy efficient.