Laundry - Energy Saving Tips

	Laundry appliances like clothes dryers and washing machine can represent up to 10% of your homes energy consumption..
	After your refigerator these two appliances use the most energy of any appliance in your home. For example everytime you use the clothes dryer it costs you at least 60 cents in electricity costs.

Laundry Energy Costs:

         


Replace - Energy Inefficient Appliances

Obviously replacing your clothes dryer with a clothes line offers a 100% saving however if this is not an option and you are considering buying a new clothes dryer ensure it has:

1) Moisture Sensor - that automatically shuts off the machine when your clothes are dry. Not only does this save energy - it reduces wear and tear on clothes caused by over-drying.
2) Cool Down Cycle - as in this cycle the dryer uses residual heat in the dryer to complete the drying process.

Washing machines are one of the most used appliance in the home, a typical family houshold does over 400 washes a year. Fortunately new washing maching with high energy star rating can significatly reduce the energy use of  washing machines and also reduce the cost of water and detergent. So when buying a new washing machine - consider buying:

1) A front loading machine. Not only are these the most efficient but they use less water and detergent
2) Highest Star Rating - There are big differences between energy efficiencies of different washing machine models
3) The size that meets your families needs too large and you
4) High-speed spin cycles that remove more water from fabrics, so less energy is needed for drying
5) Check for rebates before you buy new appliances, councils, utlities and governments may be offering rebates

Reduce - Washing Machine Energy Costs

	Use cold water and detergent specially formulated for use in cold water
	Wash only full loads, but do not overload your machine.
	Dry only full loads, as small loads are less economical; but do not overload the dryer.
	Use the correct amount of detergent. Too many bubbles make your machine work harder and use more energy

Reduce - Clothes Dryer Energy Costs

	Locate your dryer in a heated space. Putting it in a cold or damp area will make the dryer work harder and be less efficient.
	Clean the lint filter before every use - this allows better airflow and allows clothes to dry faster
	Dry only full loads, as small loads are less economical; but do not overload the dryer.
	Separate your clothes and dry similar types of clothes together - eg. dry all towels together.
	Use residual heat to finish drying your clothes using the cool cycle.
	Dry two or more loads in a row, taking advantage of the dryer's retained heat
	Allow clothes to dry inside your home. The heat in your home will can easily dry hung clothes overnight.

Tags: Energy Saving Tips, Clothes Dryer, Washing machines, Laundry How to save energy, Energy Efficient Appliances, Star Ratings