Laundry appliances are one of the many household mechanisms that we simply can’t do without. In fact, some of the biggest water-users in your homes are your very own washing machines! But with the right choice in appliances and by applying the right methods of using them, this usage could be far less.
Not only does being more environmentally conscious put you on a more sustainable path to saving the planet, it also helps drastically reduce your utility bills in the process too!
Here’s everything you need to know on how to use your laundry appliances efficiently:
Picking the right washer
Let’s start from square one. Highest water efficiency is your top priority when picking out a washer and this award usually goes out to front load washing machines.
A front load washer is considered more efficient since it uses only a fraction of the water when compared to a top loader.
To get a better idea about how it works- the front load washer makes use of gravity in a tumbling motion to be able to thoroughly wash the clothes (therefore requiring less energy from the appliance) whereas a top load washer requires more energy to move clothes around in the detergent solution.
Remember to check ratings before sealing the deal. To give you an idea of the efficiency across appliances on either end of the spectrum- for 6.5kg of clothes, a 2-star washing machine would use up to 130 litres of water, whereas a 4-star model would use up 60-71 litres instead.
Temperature
Back in the old days, it was considered a general rule to wash your clothes in hot water.
Now, we’ve come to realize that this actually tends to damage the fabric while also taking up far more energy for the heating process.
This is why warm/ cold water are usually the most favored options nowadays. Warm water is usually best for heavily stained garments or synthetic fabrics while cold water is for the finer, more dainty fabrics.
For rinse cycles, you can easily select cold water to save up on unnecessary expenses.
Re-use
Grey-water is water that has already been used in your daily operations but is still clean enough for round two.
There are even treatment processes to ensure that the water is purified if you intend on using it for inner household operations rather than just watering your plants.
Statistics indicate that a single household could produce as much as 400 liters of grey water in a day.
This is a significant amount of water that can easily be conserved! You can contact your local plumber to get a proper grey-water treatment system installed to safely water your garden since the detergents and chemicals in your laundry water would probably be detrimental for the plants and soil.
Leaks
The smallest leak in your laundry appliances could be the reason for that spike in your utility bills. Even if you notice just a small puddle, you’ll have to get this repaired by a professional before it becomes an irreparable issue.
If you’re using a top-load washer, these are some of the leaks you’ll have to keep an eye out for:
• The front of the washer– A clogged tube could be one reason to blame for this. This is usually a result of using too much detergent in your cycles, which gives way to oversudsing. Secondly, your washer could simply be out of balance or overloaded- this is a rather quick fix if so.
• The back of the washer– There could be plenty of plausible explanations for this. One, if your top-load washer is new, you could have forgotten to unplug the drain plug. If so, remove the drain hose and you’ll find a plastic plug. Expect some excess water to leak out once you unplug it. Two, you’ll want to check that your drain hose itself isn’t loose and is snugly inserted into the drainpipe. If you still notice a leak around the hose, there’s a possibility your drainpipe is clogged.
• Under the washer– With the leak located under the washer, this means you have a hole in your water pump, which is incredibly dangerous because the water will fall through, directly on to the motor. This would likely result in appliance failure. So as soon as you notice this type of leak, you’ll want to consult a professional for repairs or if you have experience with tackling these sorts of repairs, get your spares here.
These are the types of leaks you can expect from a front-load washer:
• Front of washer: Clean the gasket weekly (at the very least) so you can avoid any soap and trapped debris from affecting the door seal on the front-load washer. It will begin to leak if not maintained properly.
• Back of washer: These leaks could come about similarly to a top-load washer. Additionally, they might emerge due to too many suds in the water. To avoid this, you should use High-Efficiency (HE) detergents to minimize the amount of suds you’ll be left with at the end of the day.
• Under the washer: A front load washer has two components known as an inner and outer drum. The outer drum is made up of two halves, which are bolted together so if the seams start to leak and water begins to emerge under the washer, this is a call for repairs or replacement. Call Nationwide Appliance Repairs for expert advice from qualified technicians. We provide quality repair services across Australia so do not let those issues fester for longer than necessary.
These are the best ways you can use and maintain your laundry appliances in a more sustainable manner- and it will definitely help you save countless dollars over the years when it comes to your utility bills!
