How can I save energy in the laundry room?
10 ways to save energy in the laundry room
Do you feel like you are drowning in laundry? You might be. The average American family does 300 loads of laundry annually.
And the cost of washing clothes typically runs about $200 a year. Those expenses come mostly from hot water heating and heating the air for drying clothes. But, you can take steps to reduces those costs.
Your clothes washer
Most of the expense of running your washer is from heating the water…90%. The remain 10% goes to operating the washer itself.
- Wash full loads
It costs just as much to run a large load as it does to run a small load, so run a full load. - Modernize
Now’s the time to invest in an Energy Star-certified washing machine. They use only 15 gallons of water per load versus 23 gallons in the old-fashioned ones. Think of the water savings impact to our aquifer! Plus, they remove more moisture from clothing which reduces drying time and cost.
- Front-load
Buy a front-loading washer. These models use two-thirds less water than top-loaders, reducing water and heating costs.
- Use cold water
Washing in cold water will get most clothes perfectly clean. Besides, they’ll fade less and have fewer wrinkles. You might even save on ironing.
- Check your hose and faucet connections
Check for hose cracks and leaky faucet connections. Both can cause you to lose hot water every time you wash a load of clothes.
Your dryer
- Dry full loads
Just the like the washing machine, dry a full load.
- Avoid using the dryer as an ironing machine
Pull your items out of the dryer while they are still warm to avoid wrinkles and avoid using the dryer to fluff up a single item. Instead, use the ironing board.
- Get out the lint
Clean your dryer’s lint screen after every use. Besides keeping your clothes looking good, a lint-free dryer works more efficiently.
- Go outside
Use the sun to dry your clothes. It’s free, and the only energy it requires is your own energy to hang the clothes on the line. If your community doesn’t allow for a clothesline, try using an indoor drying rack.
- Spin faster
If your dryer has the option, use the faster drying spin cycle. You will decrease the amount of time you use your dryer.