When you're shopping for appliances, think of two price tags.
The first one covers the purchase price -- think of it as a down payment. The second price tag is the cost of operating the appliance during its lifetime.
You'll be paying on that second price tag every month with your electricty bill for the next 10 to 20 years, depending on the appliance. Refrigerators last an average of 12 years; clothes washers last about 11 years; and room air conditioners last about 9 years.
Energy Star®
Energy Star ® is an international labelling programme that helps protect our climate and saves individuals and businesses money. Look out for the Energy Star logo on office equipment, home appliances and electronics resulting in better performance, lower utility bills, and environmental protection.
The EnergyGuide Label
To help you figure out whether an appliance is energy efficient, the bright yellow and black EnergyGuide label will show you the annual energy consumption and operating cost for each appliance so you can compare them yourself. In Barbados appliance suppliers are required to show this information on a yellow card with black type.
How to read the EnergyGuide Label
The EnergyGuide label is required to be placed on all appliances by the manufacturers. The label provides information about energy consumption, and shows you how much energy an appliance uses compared with similar models. Keep in mind that the numbers are averages: actual costs will differ somewhat depending on how you use them. The label shows the following:
- Maker, model number, and size of the appliance.
- Estimated yearly operating cost (based on the national average cost of electricity), and the range of operating costs for similar models.
- The ENERGY STAR® logo indicates that this model meets strict criteria for energy efficiency.
- Estimated yearly electricity consumption.
- Key features of the appliance and the similar models that make up the cost comparison range.
