Water Heating & Laundry Tips

• Buy ENERGY STAR^® models. If you are thinking about purchasing a new clothes washer or dishwasher, look for ENERGY STAR models. These are the most energy efficient models on the market and will save energy, save money, and help the environment.
  
  
• Don't let the water run. Minimize water use while brushing teeth, shaving, and washing hands in bathroom sinks.
  
  
• Fix drippy faucets. A faucet that leaks one drip per second can waste 400 gallons of water a year. If the water is hot, that 400 gallons will cost you about $8 if you heat water with electricity or $4 if you heat water with gas, plus the cost of the water itself.
  
  
• Upgrade your showerhead. Federal standards limit new showerheads to no more than 2.5 gallons per minute, because the energy and water savings are enormous. Replacing older showerheads with low flow units could save a family of four as much as 15,000 gallons of water per year, reducing water heating costs by over $150 for electric hot water and over $60 for gas.
  
  
• Install a water softener. Install a water softener unit inline before the water heater. This will prevent sediment from building up in the bottom of the water heater.
  
  
• Turn down your water heater. Ouch, not so hot! Lower the temperature of your water heater. This not only saves energy, but it reduces the chance of scalding. A 10° F reduction in temperature saves about 13 percent of your water heating costs. For an average family this amounts to savings of $30 if you heat water with gas or $60 with electricity. A temperature setting of 120° F is fine, unless your dishwasher doesn't have a booster heater.
  
  
• Insulate your water heater. Wrap and reap (the energy savings). Wrapping your water heater with an insulating blanket can save $20 annually if you have gas hot water or $50 if you have electric. To see if your tank needs an insulation blanket, place your hand on the tank. If it feels warm then you need a blanket.
  
  
• Insulate water lines. Simple valves, known as heat traps, can be attached to the water lines near the water heater to keep heat from escaping. You can recoup an investment of about $25 in one year if you heat your water with electricity, or two years if you use gas.
  
  
• Rinse with cold water. Use a suds-saver option (if you have one) when washing lightly soiled clothes. This saves the rinse water for the next load. Most people in the appliance industry agree that cold water washes just as effectively as warm. By eliminating warm rinse cycles, the average consumer will save about $25 per year with electric hot water, or $10 with gas.
  
  
• Soak your clothes first. Soak cycles can allow for shorter wash times. For heavily soiled clothes, instead of a heavy wash cycle, try soaking and then using a shorter wash cycle.
  
  
• Use shorter washing cycles. Sort clothes by degree of dirtiness. Use shorter wash cycles for lightly soiled clothes.
  
  
• Adjust your load setting. Match the load setting to the size of the load. The load setting on your washer determines how much water is used. Smaller sized loads require less water.
  
  
• Eliminate small loads. Your clothes washer uses just about the same amount of energy regardless of how much clothing is being washed. Washing two small loads uses approximately twice as much energy as combining them into one full load. By combining loads together you reduce the number of loads you wash which in turn reduces your energy use.
  
  
• Front-loading washers are more energy-efficient. If you are thinking of replacing your washing machine, consider a horizontal axis, or front-loading unit. Recent research has shown that these machines can reduce energy use by over 50 percent, use significantly less water, require less detergent and shorter drying cycles, and reduce wear and tear on clothes. Several U.S. manufacturers now have front load models in the larger sizes preferred by Americans.
  
  
• Don't overload the dryer. Overloading makes the dryer work harder and may cause excessive lint and wrinkling.
  
  
• Clean the lint filter after every load. Lint on the filter reduces air flow and makes the dryer work harder.
  
  
• Dry like weight items together. Lightweight items take less time to dry than heavier items like towels.
  
  
• Dry loads consecutively. This will take advantage of heat build-up in your dryer.
  
  
• Remove clothes right away. Removing clothes as soon as the cycle is complete not only saves energy but also prevents wrinkling.
  
  
• Your dryer is most efficient when fully loaded. Combine smaller loads of wash into one dryer load, but be careful not to overload.
  
  
• Line dry clothes during periods of nice weather. Take advantage of the free, environmentally friendly energy from the sun.
  Minimize pre-rinse. Newer dishwashers are better able to handle heavily soiled dishes and so require less pre-rinse.
  
  
• Load properly. Proper loading takes full advantage of the spraying action of your dishwasher. Load dishes according to the dishwasher manufacturer's instructions.
  
  
• Wash full dish loads. Your dishwasher uses the same amount of water regardless of how many dishes are washed. Wash full loads whenever possible.
  
  
  
  

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