Why You Should Care About the ENERGY STAR Label

What are the advantages to you of replacing your old refrigerator or freezer?

• The ENERGY STAR certification when applied to a refrigerator or freezer means that model uses about 15% less energy than corresponding non-certified models.
• You could save over $80 on your energy bills over the life of your refrigerator or freezer.
• You could save as much as $1,100 or more on energy costs over the lifetime of your refrigerator when your replace your old refrigerator with a new certified model.

How do ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators and freezers save our planet?

• Certified refrigerators and freezers help reduce greenhouse gasses and our negative impact on the environment by reducing energy usage by coal and natural gas plants.
• According to our government, if everyone who purchased a refrigerator this year chose a certified model, we would save 715 million kWh of electricity this year and the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as that produced by 100,000 cars.

What does the ENERGY STAR certification actually mean for refrigerators and freezers?

• Full-size refrigerators (Greater than or equal to 7.75 cu. ft) must be at least 20% more energy efficient than the minimum government standard as detailed in the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA).
• Full-size freezers (Greater than or equal to 7.75 cu. ft.) must be at least 10% more energy efficient than the NAECA standard.
• Compact refrigerators and freezers (Less than 7.75 cu. ft. and 36 inches or less in height) must be at least 20% more energy efficient than the NAECA standard.

When buying a new refrigerator or freezer, how can you know that it is ENERGY STAR certified?

• Always request that the refrigerators or freezers you are being shown are ENERGY STAR certified.
• Also, you can look for the yellow ENERGY STAR label affixed to the refrigerator or freezer.

What else can I do to save energy with my refrigerator?

• Set the temperature of your refrigerator to between 35 and 38 degrees F.
• Locate your refrigerator away from heat sources like an oven, dishwasher, or direct sunlight.
• Don’t place your refrigerator or freezer in a hot garage as this will dramatically increase energy usage and reduce the useful life of your appliance.
• Leave a space of a few inches between the wall and the rear of your refrigerator to allow air circulation.
• Replace old door seals that are leaking.
• Make it a point to keep the door closed as much as possible.

Saving energy helps you save money and it helps us all save our planet.