Energy Star Dehumidifiers

We have all seen the commercials on TV on how energy star appliances are superior to all other appliances. There is even a commercial training dogs to identify the energy star logo to get a treat. But what does energy star really mean? And why are energy star dehumidifiers better than the average dehumidifier?

Energy star products are products that have been approved for being energy efficient. This means that the product uses twenty to thirty percent less energy than the standards set by the federal government. This labeling was created in 1992 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to encourage the production of energy efficient products and has caught on world wide since, even though in some other countries it is given a different name. By 2006 more than forty-thousand products were available which meet the Energy Star standards. These products include but are not limited to appliances, electronics, and lighting.

In order to be considered energy efficient, products must meet the standards set by the environmental protection agency or the department of energy. But what are these standards and what do they mean? In computers, an 80plus standard is required. This energy star dehumidifier rating means that it doesn't heat up as quickly, requiring less energy to cool the system. For refrigerators to meet this standard, they must use at least twenty percent less energy. Dishwashers must use forty-one percent less energy than the current federal standard. Televisions must use at least thirty percent less to be labeled energy star.

What are the standards for dehumidifiers? It depends on the category the dehumidifier is under. Dehumidifiers are categorized by how many pints or liters of water can be extracted from the air in one day. If an energy start dehumidifier is in the twenty-five pint category, then it must get at least a 1.2 or better to be considered energy star proficient. If it is in the twenty-five or thirty-five pint category, then it must get a rating of at least a 1.4. If it is in the thirty-five to forty-five pints per day category, then it must get a rating of 1.5. If it is in the category of forty-five to seventy-five pints per day, it must get a rating of at least 1.6. And finally, if the dehumidifier produces between seventy-five and one hundred eighty-five pints per day it must get a rating of 2.50 to be considered energy star efficient. Typically, it is better to buy a dehumidifier that can produce a slightly higher number of pints per day than is needed in order to obtain the higher efficiency level.

The top two most energy efficient manufacturers are Therma-Stor and Munters Corporation, whose dehumidifiers are rated at a 2.2. The top rated dehumidifier is made under the name Altra-Aire which gets a rating of 3.56. However, these companies also make dehumidifiers for other companies, which do not get as good of a rating, so do some research before buying because energy star dehumidifiers are significantly better in terms of energy usage.

For more information about energy star standards go here

Dehumidifiers in the Energy Star Dehumidifiers Category