For Home For Business Green Energy Energy Explained FAQ My Account Spark Energy > Blog > Energy Tips > BE A STAR: What You Need to Know About the ENERGY STAR Label BE A STAR: What You Need to Know About the ENERGY STAR Label Have you ever seen an ENERGY STAR® label? If you’ve ever walked down the appliance aisle at Home Depot or checked out the TV selection at Best Buy then you’ve probably seen the bright yellow ENERGY STAR sticker. It’s a clear indicator that whatever product you’re looking at is more energy efficient than standard options. To earn the government-backed ENERGY STAR label a product must meet energy efficiency standards set by the EPA. The list of products that meant those standards has grown substantially over the years since the ENERGY STAR program began in 1992. There’s a lot you can learn from an ENERGY STAR label if you know what you’re looking for. Keep reading to find out where to find ENERGY STAR labels, what information is on them and what to pay attention to if you want to save electricity. What Products Have an ENERGY STAR Label You probably know there are ENERGY STAR kitchen appliances and televisions, but that’s a small sampling of the products that could bear the label. Today there’s a wide selection of products that are energy efficient enough to be labeled ENERGY STAR. Here’s a list of common household products that can earn the ENERGY STAR label: Refrigerators Freezers Light Bulbs Ceiling Fans Water Heaters Air Purifiers Clothes Washers Clothes Dryers Dishwashers Windows Doors Media Players AV Equipment Televisions Electronics Computers Air Conditioners Heaters Furnaces Energystar.gov has a complete list of products that you can filter through to find exactly what you need. No matter what product you select, if it is ENERGY STAR rated it is guaranteed to work as good or better than standard products while using less electricity. What the ENERGY STAR Label Looks Like The ENERGY STAR label isn’t hard to miss, which is the point. The bright yellow label is meant to help consumers easily identify products that minimize energy use without sacrificing performance. This is known as the EnergyGuide label. There’s actually a second ENERGY STAR label to also look for. Products that qualify will have the bright blue and white ENERGY STAR logo label somewhere on the product. This label doesn’t have any information, but it serves as a way to differentiate products that have earned the designation. You’ll usually see this badge somewhere on the front of the product. Don’t see an ENERGY STAR label? Look inside the appliance or product. The label may be inside if there’s a door or on the bottom of the product. You can also check the ENERGY STAR or manufacturer’s website for verification. What to Look for on the ENERGY STAR Label Once you locate the ENERGY STAR label you need to decipher the information. Below is a breakdown of what’s on the EnergyGuide label and why it’s important to know. Features That Influence Energy Use – Top Left hand Corner Up at the top in the left hand corner you’ll see a bullet list with three key features that affect the energy use of the product. Product Description – Top Right Hand Corner In the top right hand is all of the specific product information. You’ll see the manufacturer, the product model and the size of the product. Energy Comparison to Similar Standard Products – Middle of the Label The EnergyGuide label will also give you an energy use comparison so you can see how much energy is saved compared to using a non-ENERGY STAR product. You’ll actually see a cost range for similar models ranging from the lowest to the highest annual cost. If the ENERGY STAR product costs more this will give you an idea of how quickly you can make up the cost difference. Estimated Yearly Operating Cost – Middle of the Label This will give you a good idea of how much it costs to operate a product based on the energy use. Keep in mind this isn’t exact. The estimate is based on regular use of the product and the national average price per kilowatt-hour (kWh). To get a more accurate estimate of the annual cost you can use the kWh rate for your energy plan. Kilowatt-Hour Use – Bottom Left Hand Corner The label will also show the estimated annual electricity use in kilowatt-hours. This estimate is based on regular use. Take this estimate and multiply it by the cost per kWh on your energy plan to get a more accurate idea of the annual costs to operate the product. ENERGY STAR Logo – Bottom Right Hand Corner You can verify the authenticity of the label by looking for the ENERGY STAR logo in the bottom right hand corner. If you read your energy bill as closely as the EnergyGuide label you may find your kWh rate could be better. Spark Energy offers fixed rate energy plans that make estimating monthly costs more predictable. See how much your annual cost of use would be based on electricity rates from Spark Energy. Spark Energy September 22, 2021 in Energy Tips Twitter Facebook Google Plus LinkedIn StumbleUpon September 22, 2021 Previous post Next post Privacy PolicyTerms of UseAccessibility Statement twitter facebook linkedin rss COMPANY About Management Investor Relations Investor Press Releases Spark Press Releases Careers Charities We Support Awards Gift Card to Staff IMPORTANT LINKS My Account Login Contact Us Pay My Bill Energy Saving Tips FAQ Rebate Forms Markets We Serve Become Spark Affiliate Become Energy Partner Spark Scholarship 2021 Blog Do Not Sell My Personal Information Refund Policy Sitemap FEATURED POST Natural Gas Price Increase: Now is the Time to Check Your Energy Contract November 9, 2021 Thinking About Installing a Whole House Generator November 1, 2021 CONTACTS 12140 Wickchester Ln Suite #100, Houston, TX 77079 Phone: (877) 547-7275 Email: customercare@sparkenergy.com Website: https://www.sparkenergy.com © 2021 Spark Energy. All Rights Reserved. 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