Can the hour you do your washing affect your energy bill? 8 energy saving tips
Did you know you may be wasting unnecessary dollars on your energy bill each time you do your laundry? These tips will help you plan your cycles in a way that will help you get the most out of your hard earned dollars.
1. Do your laundry during off peak hours - On many electricity plans, it actually cheaper to do you laundry during off peak hours. These hours are typically at night and/or on weekends depending on your location.
2. Plan for summer heat - During the summer, your washer and dryer can add unwanted heat and humidity to your home, which might increase your home cooling cost. Try to limit your dryer use to mornings and evenings, or better yet, hang your clothes and use the power of the sun to save even more.
3. Use cold water - Your washer uses the most energy heating the water to clean your clothes. You can save on your energy bill by switching to cold water.
4. Switch settings - Switch your dryer to warm instead of hot. Even though it may take more time, it saves on energy.
5. Time your cycles - If you need to do several loads, do so consecutively: your dryer will already have heated from the first load, meaning it won’t have to use more energy to heat up for the second. Save your heaviest loads for last.
6. Strategise your loads - When sorting your laundry, try to make your loads larger so you use less cycles. Combine items that have similar drying times to avoid over-drying certain items. You’ll save on drying-time and therefore, energy.
7. Use your settings - Your washer’s settings are there for a reason. Adjust your load time/size according to each individual load to save on energy and water.
8. Switch to solar – Switching to a solar smart plan is an investment that can save you as much as $800 in net savings per year, depending on the size of your family. You’ll save in the laundry room and everywhere else that you use electricity in your home.
Related links:
4 ways to save money on your energy bills
Top 5 energy efficient ways to keep your house warm this winter
Why retirement marks the perfect time to switch to solar energy