It is possible to reduce energy costs significantly while washing the family clothing. Clothes washing machines are an appliance that no modern homeowner would like to do without. Reducing the water temperature and the amount of water used will save the most on energy and money. Only 10 percent of the energy cost comes from the machine operation and the rest of the energy used to wash a load of clothing comes from heating the water to wash the clothes.
Saving Energy with Washing Machines
- For the most energy savings on any washing machine, wash in cold water. Purchasing liquid detergents specifically designed to use in cold water will allow clothing to be cleaned thoroughly. If using powder detergents in cold water, it is best to dissolve the powder in the water prior to loading the clothing.
- Never rinse in warm or hot water. There is no benefit derived from this action and it will eliminate any savings on energy use.
- Wash with warm or hot water only clothing required to be washed in warm or hot water. Using bleach in white clothes washed in cold water should give the desired results. The savings would be worth a try.
- When possible, wash only full loads. Machines that allow for adjustments to water levels will save on water, but there is no savings on the energy needed to run the full cycle.
- A machine model with various settings for wash, rinse, water levels and pre-soak cycles will allow for the most savings on energy.
When making a purchase of a new washing machine, consider a front-loading machine, or horizontal-axis washer. This type of washing machine uses less water since the clothing is tumbled by the drum into the water. A top-loading machine must fill the tub to keep the clothing wet.
Check the EnergyGuide labels, which must be on all new machines. This label will give an idea of how much energy is used by the washer models. Smaller models will show less energy use, but they may not be large enough to meet the needs of the family. If a larger machine will allow for fewer loads, then the energy savings will be greater in the long run. Also compare gallons of water used for a full cycle in each machine.
Although the family washing machine is low on the list of energy users in any household, there can be significant savings accomplished by following these tips. Everything that can be done to lessen the need for hot water will be a savings to the household energy budget. Public Service Company of Oklahoma has a useful household energy calculator chart to help estimate how much money different appliances cost to use monthly within the home.
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