Clothes
Washers and Dryers Best
Practices and Energy Saving Tips
Clothes Washer
Tips
Wash in cold water: About 90% of the energy consumed for
washing clothes is due to heating the water. Unless you're dealing
with oily stains,
the warm or cold water setting on your machine will generally
do a good job of cleaning your clothes. Switching your temperature setting from hot
to warm can cut energy use in half for washing one load. Using the cold
cycle when you can reduces energy use even more.
Fill it up: Clothes washers use relatively the same amount
of energy regardless of the size of the laundry load, run full loads whenever
possible.
Avoid the sanitary cycle: This super hot cycle, available on
some models, increases energy use significantly, so only use it when absolutely
necessary.
Activate the high spin speed option: If your clothes washer
has spin options, choose a high spin speed or the extended spin option
to reduce the amount of remaining moisture in your clothes after washing.
This decreases the amount of time it takes to dry your clothes.
Use a drying rack or hang clothes outside: Air-drying clothes
(indoors or outdoors) helps them last longer and saves energy.
Leave the door open after use: Front-loading washers use airtight
seals to make sure no moisture leaks while the machine is in use. However,
when the machine is not in use, this seal can trap moisture in the machine.
Be sure to leave the door ajar for an hour or two after use to allow any
of the remaining moisture inside the machine to evaporate. Make sure children
do not climb into the machine while the door is open.
Always use HE (High Efficiency) detergent: Front-loading clothes
washers are designed specially to use only High Efficiency detergent. Using
regular detergent in a front-loading washer will create too many suds in
the machine. This leads to decreased washing and rinsing performance. Over
time it can lead to mechanical problems, and foul odors.
Clothes
Washer
Clothes
washer and dryers tips and advices. Top loads, fornt,
load, save money, save water.
http://www.energystar.gov/
Dish
Washer
With winter months
approaching, there's no better time to
cool the burn of a dish washer bill.
http://www.energystar.gov/
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Clothes Dryer Tips
ENERGY STAR does not label clothes dryers since there is little
difference in the energy use between models. Here are some ways to reduce
energy consumption when using your clothes dryer:
Use the moisture sensor option: The moisture sensor automatically shuts
off the machine when the clothes are dry. Not only will this save energy,
it will save wear and tear on your clothes caused by over-drying.
Clean the lint filter: Cleaning the filter after every load
will improve air circulation and increase the efficiency of the dryer.
No Central Agitator
Front-loaders tumble clothes through a small amount of water
instead of rubbing clothes against an agitator in a full tub. Advanced
top loaders use sophisticated wash systems to flip or spin clothes through
a reduced stream of water. Both designs dramatically reduce the amount
of hot water used in the wash cycle, and the energy used to heat it.
High Spin Speeds
Efficient motors spin clothes two-three times faster during
the spin cycle to extract more water. Less moisture in the clothes means
less time and energy in the dryer.
Most ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers do not have
a central agitator.
Top Loading & Front
Loading Clothes Washers
Top-loading models
look like conventional machines from the outside, but these ENERGY STAR
qualified washers use
different
types of washing action to get clothes clean with less water
and energy. Many have
sensors to monitor incoming water temperature closely. They also
rinse clothes with repeated high-pressure spraying instead of
soaking them in
a full tub
of water.
Front-loading models are similar to machines used in laundromats. They
use a horizontal or tumble-axis basket to lift and drop clothing into the
water instead of rubbing clothes around a central agitator. Both top-loading
and front-loading ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers save water and
energy. They also use faster spin speeds to extract more water from clothes,
reducing dryer time and energy use.
For both models, check to see if you need to use special detergent. Low-water
washers use special low-suds detergent for best results. Ask your sales
representative for recommendations on detergent use.
Save Money
By dramatically reducing energy and water consumption, these units
cut utility bills by an average of $50 per year. Over the eleven-year
lifetime of the washer, that's enough money to buy a new clothes dryer
or a new ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher.
Save Water
Qualified clothes washers also save 7,000 gallons of water a
year. Over the eleven-year life of the washer, that's enough water
to fill up
three backyard swimming pools or provide a lifetime of drinking
water for six people.
Refrigerator
