The washer and dryer are probably two of the most commonly forgotten appliances in the house, but their energy consumption is considerable. You may have no idea about it, but you can reduce your energy bills simply by changing a way of doing your laundry. I promise, it will be painless and easy to do.

First of all, remember that nine tenths of the energy used by a washer comes from the heating of the water. Try to reduce the temperature of your water and use cold water whenever possible. This will get rid of most of your washer energy consumption while not reducing the quality of laundry and your comfort level. Yes, things will still come clean.

As for the dryer: first of all, keep its vents clean. If they get clogged, they will reduce the dryer’s efficiency. Always clean the lint trap before loading the dryer and check the vent if you think drying goes slower or less efficiently than usual. However, the best solution is usually just to skip the dryer, if you can. First, it saves a lot of power. Then, it adds a fresh smell to your clothing if you dry them on a clothesline instead of inside your dryer. At the very least you can just partially dry your garments in the dryer and then hang them up to dry the rest of the way.

Generally, if you laundry appliances days are numbered and you have older models, think about buying new ones. First, newer models tend to be much more efficient. This is especially true for dryers – new models are now commonly equipped with moisture sensors which allow your dryer to stop working as soon as your clothes are clean. While the purchase may be a little painful for your budget, the savings will quickly become visible and the appliances will pay itself off in a few years’ time at most.

A tip: try to avoid cleaning towels after you use them only once. A towel, if you hang it up and let it dry, can be safely re-used a few times before it gets dirty. This change may seem very simple, but it may reduce the time and energy you use for laundering your stuff by as much as 20% a month.

Many washers and dryers now are equipped with timers that allow you to start them at a specific time. Set them to run at night when electric costs are lower. If you do not have a timer on your washer or dryer, than just do your laundry later in the day. Just switching your laundry usage to evening hours can reduce energy costs by another 10%. It all adds up!

By: Andrew W John

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