Almost every Australian household has a washing machine. The washing machine is probably the most time saving appliance in the home. It is also one of the most expensive appliances to run. If you are hanging on to your old machine because you don\’t want the expense of replacing it, you may be making a mistake. In an environmentally and economically conscious era, newer washers have been designed that can save you big money on your water and electricity bills, while at the same time reduce your carbon footprint and water wastage.

Save on Electricity Using the Energy Star Label as Your Guide

The easiest way to choose a washing machine that will use less electricity and save you money is to simply check its Energy Star label. The label was designed to make it possible for you to compare washing machines at a glance. The one that has the higher number of stars is the more energy efficient. A difference of a single star means a 27% difference in energy consumption. In other words, a 3 Star rated washer is 81% more energy efficient than a washing machine with a single star rating. Odds are, your old machine would not even rate a single star using the new Energy Star ratings system, so you can imagine just how much a new machine can cut your energy bill!

Look a little more closely, and you will see two numbers that can help you even more. The number in the blue box indicates its energy usage per year if you cold water wash, while the number in the red box shows how much energy you will be using if you warm water wash. You may be amazed to see how drastic the difference is. If you habitually wash your laundry in warm water, you may be using fives times more electricity per year than if you wash in cold water. Do you always need to wash in warm water? If you can do even half of your washloads in cold water, you will see your electricity bills plummet.

How to Choose a Water Saving Washing Machine

The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act of 2005 (WELS) made it mandatory for all clothes washers sold in Australia to have their water efficiency rating clearly labelled. This has resulted in drastic reductions in the water consumption of the average washing machine. In fact, it is estimated that a new, water efficient washer uses only one third as much water as an older model uses.

Top Loading Washers versus Front Loading Washing Machines

They do cost more, but front loading washing machines consume far less water than even the latest models of top loading machines. This is because, unlike top loaders, whose tubs must be filled with water in order for them to clean, a top loader only requires as much water as is needed to thoroughly saturate laundry.

Other Ways to Save

Try to get into the habit of washing full loads of laundry rather than frequent small loads. A small load requires nearly the same amount of electricity as a larger load. Although you will set the water level to match the level of the load, a half load of washing uses more than half as much water as a full load takes. If you can schedule your washing for full loads, you will see significant savings on your water and electricity bills.

A good way to ensure that you are not doing more wash loads than you need to is to buy a larger capacity washer than the one you currently have. It will cost a little more initially, but will save you time and money in the longer run.

Finally, check out a good online appliances comparison site. You\’ll know it\’s a good one if it includes all of the features and efficiency ratings and allows you to compare prices feature-by-feature.

Author Bio: Dan Stewart is a writer and researcher for Comparison.com.au, Australia\’s largest product comparison website. Find all your home appliances online at Comparison.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: appliances,washingmachines,washers,home appliances,appliances online