Washing machines are very important devices in the house because they keep our clothes clean. But like all other powered devices, washing machines consume energy. Whether it’s electricity or gas, washing machines need power to function. And this power costs money. One thing that you should always do as a homeowner is to try and reduce water and energy consumption in your house. You should identify all plumbing fixtures and appliances that use water and energy and implement effective conservation tactics to trim your water and power bill. You can start by installing low-flow plumbing fixtures including taps, showers, and toilets. You should also consider upgrading to energy efficient plumbing appliances like washing machines, clothes dryers, dishwashers, water heaters, and so on. This will ensure that you spend less on water and energy every month. Regarding your washing machine, the following water and energy saving tips will come in handy.
Buy An Energy Star Certified Washing Machine
You should upgrade to an Energy Star certified washing machine. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gives Energy Star rating to high quality high efficiency plumbing appliances. These appliances undergo thorough tests to ensure that they fulfill the designated energy savings before acquiring certification. An Energy Star certified washing machine uses 20% less energy and 35% less water than the standard models. Upgrading your plumbing fixtures and appliances is one important part of bathroom remodeling in DC. You should consider upgrading to a high efficiency washing machine during your bathroom remodel in order to save energy and water in your house.
Buy Front Loading Washers With Automatic Sensors
You should buy a front loading washing machine that is equipped with automatic sensors to reduce water consumption. The automatic sensors detect the amount of water required to do the cleaning and this ensures no wastage when you are cleaning your clothes. Front loading washing machines consume less water for the same amount of washing. You should also buy the smallest possible washing machine that can meet your cleaning needs. Buying a big washer that you do not need will only lead to massive water and energy consumption in your house.
Wash Full Loads
You should never under-load or overload your clothes washer. Ensure that you load full loads in your washer to ensure optimal functionality. This means that the machine will wash the clothes properly and consume only the required amount of water and energy.
Use Cold Or Warm Water
Using hot water to wash clothes will hike your energy bill because the water has to be heated first. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, you should always use cold water to clean your clothes. If the clothes require heated water, then you should use warm water instead of hot water.
Soak The Clothes First
You can ease the cleaning job for your washing machine by soaking the clothes first. This will make stain removal easier and simplify the whole washing process. The clothes will be easier to clean and they will be washed in a shorter time. In other words, the washing machine will consume less water and energy to clean the pre-soaked clothes.
Use High Quality Detergent
Always use a high quality and high efficiency cleaning detergent in your washing machine. These high efficiency detergents do not necessarily cost more. But they leave fewer suds in the machines, which do not really affect its performance.