Save Water with High Efficiency Clothes Washers and Dishwashing Machines

Did you know that the average American family washes almost 400 loads of laundry every year? That’s a lot of laundry – and a lot of water running through U.S. clothes washing machines. As Americans search for ways to preserve natural resources, more families are installing water-saving clothes washing machines and dishwashers. Atherton Appliance & Kitchens and BSC Culinary stock a number of eco-friendly washing machines, and we’ll be happy to discuss your options the next time you visit one of our showrooms.

According to the federal ENERGY STAR® program, you will save enough water to fill three backyard swimming pools over the life of a qualified ENERGY STAR clothes washer. You could also save $135 each year on your utility bills by replacing a washer is more than 10 years old with an ENERGY STAR model – that’s enough to buy a year’s worth of High Efficiency (HE) clothes washing detergent.

According to The Daily Green, a front-loading clothes washer uses a third less water, heat energy and detergent than standard top-loading machines. The front-loading design is more effective and efficient, which is why Laundromats have been using them for year. Many major brands, including the premium brands sold in our showrooms, offer front-loading models. One example is the http://www.askona.com/laundry/xxl_laundry/ultracare-washers/wl6532xxlrr-washerWL6532XXLLR Washer from Asko, which is ENERGY STAR rated for low water and energy consumption, even though it can handle extra large loads.

What about dishwasher? According to ENERGY STAR, a dishwasher built before 1994 wastes more than 10 gallons of water per cycle if you compare it to a new ENERGY STAR qualified model. If you replace your old dishwasher with an ENERGY STAR rated machine, you can save enough water on a weekly basis to wash three loads of laundry. Miele’s G 2872 SCSF, a Prefinished, Fully-Integrated, Fullsize Dishwasher, is just one of the low-water-use models available through our showrooms.

Once you’ve purchased your HE clothes washer and dishwashing machines, is there more you can do to save water at home? Absolutely! Consider these tips:

• Don’t rinse dishes before loading them into the dishwasher.
• Don’t run the dishwasher until it is full.
• If you’re washing some dishes by hand, don’t let the faucet run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
• Use the garbage disposal sparingly.
• Compost vegetable food waste when possible.
• Wash fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of in running tap water.
• Monitor your water bill, which is often the first indication of leaks.
• Wash only full loads of laundry in your clothes washer.
• Insulate hot water pipes when possible, to avoid wasting water while you wait for it to heat up.
• Install low-flow aerators in all of your faucets (you can save 1-2 gallons of water per minute).
• Check regularly for leaks in your kitchen and bathroom faucets and fixtures.
• Install low-flow showerheads and high efficiency toilets in your bathrooms.
• Take showers instead of baths whenever possible, and make the showers short (you can even buy a shower timer).
• Upgrade to air-cooled refrigerators and other appliances if possible.

These are just a few water-saving tips. For a whopping 100 ways to conserve water, visit WaterUseItWisely.com. And please feel free to stop by one of our showrooms so we can answer your questions and help you find the right water-saving appliances for your home.