Soak up the Savings with Your Washing Machine
Twelve cloth diapers, six pairs of pants, at least as many shirts, numerous socks and the household linens – it’s an average day’s laundry for Alexa Layton, mother of four little ones. “Dirty diapers, grass stains and food spills all come with the territory,” says Alexa. “Thank goodness for clothes washers.”
Alexa Layton and her laundry helpers.
With laundry being a daily activity in many homes, upgrading a standard clothes washer to a high-efficiency, ENERGY STAR®-qualified model can really help out in the savings department. The average family of four can save up to $150 on utility costs, 33,000 litres of water and one tonne of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
These savings were something the Layton family took into account when recently making upgrades to their 1941 home. “We opted for a front-loading, ENERGY STAR machine to help save as much as possible,” says Alexa.
Albertans can now receive a $100 rebate when they purchase an ENERGY STAR-qualified model. Click here for more information.
There are many things you can do, both when purchasing and using a clothes washer, to maximize its efficiency and savings:
- Look for an ENERGY STAR-qualified machine. These use less energy, and according to the federal Office of Energy Efficiency, can save you up to $955 over their lifetime compared to a conventional washer.
- Opt for a front-loading model. The agitators in these have been removed, which provides for greater load capacity while using less water. Compared to traditional washers, they can save enough water to fill three backyard swimming pools over the course of their life span.
- Choose the right size machine for your needs and look for a model with a high Modified Energy Factor (MEF) and low Water Factor (WF). This will help reduce the amount of energy and water used by the machine.
- Wash clothes in cold water. According to ENERGY STAR about 90 per cent of the energy used to wash clothes comes from heating the water. Only 10 per cent is used by the machine itself.
- Wait until you have a full load. It takes almost the same amount of energy to wash half a load as it does a full one.
- Select a high spin speed. By wringing out as much water as possible, you reduce the amount of time and energy needed for drying.
- Use high-efficiency detergent. High-efficiency machines are designed to need less suds and regular detergent can cause them to perform inefficiently. Look for this symbol.
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