Energy Insights: 6 Ways to Make Your Dishwasher More Energy-Efficient
Probably most people’s least favorite chore in the world is washing the dishes. After a big delicious meal who wants to stand over the sink scrubbing pots and pans and plates? Thankfully the dishwasher is there to save us from this burden, but if not used properly, the dishwasher can be a very costly appliance for your monthly energy bill.
We are here to help with six need-to-know tips that can help you reduce the energy you use for your dishwasher, helping you save time, money and energy.
1. Only Wash Full Loads
It can be tempting to run the dishwasher when it is only partially full. Fewer dishes washed means fewer dishes to put away. Instead wait until your dishwasher is at full capacity. You will run your dishwasher less frequently and can be a major cost cutter to your monthly energy bill.
2. Let Dishes Air Dry
The costliest part of running your dishwasher is the amount of energy used to heat the water. Letting your dishes air dry can be a great way to reduce the amount of energy your dishwasher uses. To air dry you can simply turn off the heat-dry setting or leave the door on your dishwasher cracked. If you need to use you dishes immediately after washing this method may not work, as it will take longer for your dishes to dry. One upside to air drying is that it can help reduce damage to your dishes from the excessive heat.
3. Upgrade Your Dishwasher
If you have a dishwasher older than 5 years, you may want to consider upgrading to a newer model. A lot of newer dishwashers are much more energy-efficient and use less water. With the advancement in technology and manufacturing, many new dishwashers can give you the same amount of cleaning for a fraction of the cost.
4. Change the Water Heating Setting
Most dishwashers have a factory water heating setting around 140 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Changing your water heating setting to medium (about 120 degrees) will help clean your dishes and use less energy. It might be tempting to change the setting to low in order to save more money, but often washing dishes on the lowest setting may not get them as clean as you like.
5. Consider the Time You Run the Dishwasher
Before you start the dishwasher, think about the environment of your house. Running your dishwasher during the day in the summer can add extra heat to your home and may require additional effort from your air conditioning. For summer, think about running the dishwasher at night to help prevent this. For winter, running the ambient heat produced can actually help your heating unit, especially for smaller kitchens or homes with lower ceilings.
6. Don’t Pre-wash Your Dishes
It is not always necessary to pre-wash dishes in the sink before putting into the dishwasher. The amount of water used to pre-rinse in the sink can negate any savings you may get from the energy-efficiency of your dishwasher. If food is caked onto plates or pans, simply scrape as much food off into the trash can as possible and then load them into the dishwasher. By doing this you can save water and save money.
