Save Money and Energy Washing Dishes

Spread the love

According to the Department of Energy, the largest cost involved in washing dishes comes from the energy used to heat the water.  You can save energy and money on dishwashing by reducing your hot water usage.

Many people prefer to wash dishes by hand to save hot water.  However, dishwashing by hand can waste hot water, especially if you let the hot water run while washing and rinsing the dishes and wash dishes several times a day.

The most energy efficient way to wash dishes is to use an energy efficient dishwasher and running it only when it is fully loaded.  When choosing a new energy efficient dishwasher, be sure to compare capacity as well as energy usage ratings.  A lower capacity dishwasher may have a better energy efficiency rating, but if you have to run it more often you will end up using more water and energy than you would with a  larger capacity dishwasher.

A booster heater can make your dishwasher more energy efficient.  Booster heaters heat up the water entering the dishwasher to the recommended temperature for cleaning.  Dishwashers equipped with booster heaters are a little more expensive than standard water heaters, but they allow you to turn down the temperature on your water heater without sacrificing the performance of your dishwasher.  The added cost of a dishwasher equipped with a booster heater is typically offset by your energy savings in about a year.

For additional energy savings, look for a dishwasher that allows you to choose shorter cycles for less heavily soiled dishes and look for the Energy Star label.  For best results, your new dishwasher should be installed by a reputable kitchen repair plumber.

Comments are closed.