Energy and water consumption
in the home can be greatly reduced by using energy-efficient washers.
A few things to look for when buying a new washing machine are:
Front-load washers:
Front load washers use a
horizontal or tumble-axis basket, front-load washers lift and drop
clothes into water instead of using a central agitator. Your front-load
washer should use less water. Remember to check your detergent to make
sure it will be compatible with your washer. The new front-loading
machines use about 2/3 less water than top-loading machines however,
they can be more than double the price of a new front-loader.
Top-load washers:
New redesigned top
loading washers use a different washing action to clean clothes. Look
for washers with sensors to monitor incoming water temperature and
washers that use repeated high-pressure spraying instead of soaking
clothes in a tub of water.
Washing machine Features
Some new features are
Automatic Program settings that will automatically calculate and adjust
the level of water and time needed to complete a load. Delay Start
allows you to select when you'd like the wash to start at a later time.
There are also varying wash cycles, such as for Delicates or
Heavy Wash, that assist in washing different types of clothing for the
best results.
The newest innovation on the latest models is a Steam feature.
Steam provides stain-removing power, sanitizes, refreshes and removes
wrinkles from clothing. Remember - although there are neat new features
available on today's washing machines, if you do not often use these
features then you should not pay extra to have them. The technological
advancements on washers are appealing, but also expensive and tend to
make a machine more prone to breakdown and need of repair.
Select a washer with variable spin times. The faster your washers
can spin the clothes dry, the more water they remove which means less
energy spent to dry them in the dryer.
Use the yellow EnergyGuide stickers to do your shopping when comparing
energy and price on washing machines. Most standard washing machines use
40 gallons of water. Models that have qualified for the U.S. Department
of Energy's Energy Star rating use less than half that amount. The lower
the EnergyGuide rating number, the more efficient the machine.
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