How To Save on Home Renovations with ENERGY STAR

With all the time spent at home these days, who isn’t thinking about renovations? We want the places we spend most of our time to look good, feel good, and be good for the planet. Whether you’re thinking of upgrading a room, a system, or your entire home, make sure to include ENERGY STAR certified products so you can experience energy efficiency along with top performance - making your investment pay off even more with energy savings. 

Kitchen

It’s no wonder that one of the most popular areas of a home to renovate is the kitchen. Having an energy efficient kitchen has multiple benefits for homeowners, from reducing annual energy costs to positively impacting the value of a home. By replacing any outdated major kitchen appliances with ENERGY STAR certified models, you can achieve your dream kitchen while lowering your energy bills.

Refrigerator: Do you have an older fridge? It could be using 30% more energy than a new ENERGY STAR certified model. Certified refrigerators come in all the latest designs, with innovative drawer layouts, improved temperature controls, and better insulation. Find out how much you could save by flipping your existing fridge to an ENERGY STAR certified model. 

Dishwasher: Dishwashers earning the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient distinction combine the highest efficiency with advanced features that get your dishes clean without having to rinse them ahead of time. 

Lighting: ENERGY STAR certified light fixtures with efficient LED technology come in a wide variety of styles to complement any new kitchen design, including downlights. Certified light kits make installation easy and use up to 90% less energy. 

Laundry

When considering home appliance upgrades, don’t forget the laundry room. The average American family washes about 300 loads of laundry each year, and ENERGY STAR certified products can help families cut annual energy and water costs. New ENERGY STAR certified washer and dryer sets offer the highest efficiency and performance with innovative washing and drying technologies. 

Clothes Washers: ENERGY STAR certified clothes washers use about 25% less energy and 33% less water than regular washers. Front-load washers, specifically, use less water by tumbling clothes through a small amount of water, rather than running clothes against an agitator in a full tub. Front-load washers are also gentler on clothes, and they get just as clean. 

Clothes Dryers: ENERGY STAR certified dryer models incorporate improved sensor technology that ensures your dryer will automatically shut off when clothes are dry. For even more savings, consider an ENERGY STAR certified heat pump dryer, which uses almost 30% less energy than a conventional clothes dryer. 

Office

If the pandemic has shown us anything, it’s the importance of having an efficient and well-equipped home office. Whether you plan to work from home permanently or in a hybrid fashion, there is plenty of ENERGY STAR certified home office equipment that can help you maximize energy savings.

Office Equipment: If you’re upgrading your home office setup, consider ENERGY STAR certified computers, monitors, desk lamps, printers and/or multi-function devices, for high-performance and energy savings.

Heating and Cooling

Your home’s heating and cooling system may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about home renovation, but it’s an upgrade that can have a big impact on your comfort levels and energy bills. For the average American household, almost half the annual energy bill goes to heating and cooling—more than $900 a year.

Air Source Heat Pump: Whether your current heating and cooling system uses a furnace, boiler, or central AC, switching to an ENERGY STAR certified air source heat pump can save energy and money regardless of the season. By moving heat instead of creating it, state-of-the-art heat pump technology is able to pull in heat from the outside air so you don’t have to rely on electric resistance or the burning of fossil fuels to heat your home. 

Lastly, by choosing to upgrade your appliances with ENERGY STAR certified products, you can take advantage of utility rebates and federal tax credits. Make sure to visit the ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder and enter your zip code to see if there are any rebates in your area that you would be eligible for. 

By making these high-impact choices during your next home renovation project, you can maximize your savings while choosing products that are better for the environment - without sacrificing comfort or performance.

Check out this segment of "Designing Spaces", where you can learn more about the benefits of renovating your home with ENERGY STAR certified products.