Talk amongst yourselves..
Have Increasing Energy Prices Caused Change in Your Laundry Routine
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powerfin64
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no changes in my laundry routine.
One does try not to let oneself go
But eclectic rates already were quite dear and just became more so with one of several planned increases.
https://www.coned.com/en/accounts-billing/your-bill/about-con-edisons-rates
Between heating water (Miele, AEG Lavamat) then tumble drying and or ironing (rotary ironer, press or by hand) it all adds up.
But eclectic rates already were quite dear and just became more so with one of several planned increases.
https://www.coned.com/en/accounts-billing/your-bill/about-con-edisons-rates
Between heating water (Miele, AEG Lavamat) then tumble drying and or ironing (rotary ironer, press or by hand) it all adds up.
No, at least not recently. I have a couple of Duets I've had for 10 or 11 years. Bought them to reduce water usage. Keep my gas water heater set as high as possible, hang dry clothing and only use my gas dryer for towels and bedding. I'm on a 3 tier electric rate system so tend to do laundry late at night - but I'm a night person so it works out well. My rate after 11PM is only $.07 plus a bunch of fees that effectively take up to $0.13kwh.
Not at all. I sitll wash at extra hot for wash temps to be between 135F and 158F. Warm will initially fill at 95F but eventually reduces to 90F through a process of fills. Never wash in anyhting but warm, hot and extra hot. 95% opf the time I do full loads. Sam with the dishwasher. Use auto with extra hot rinse. Full loads and odn't prerinse.
Being a mostly single person laundry household a lot has come down to consolidation.
Washing one really big load rarely is just more efficient than washing once a week no matter what.
For the US I can just recommend to think about what you dry how.
Running a US style dryer might use 4kWh per hour operated or more.
Replacing existing dryers with the upcoming full size heatpump dryers when the time comes makes an INSANE difference, upwards of 60% in savings.
Same with a water heater.
If you don't have gas, and the water heater needs replacing, just get a heat pump version.
Cuts hot water costs in half or less.
If you do have gas though - at least price wise - there isn't much you can do.
If hygiene isn't your goal for a load of laundry, upping your washtime and dropping the temp a bit is really the only thing you can do there without sacrificing results.
Washing one really big load rarely is just more efficient than washing once a week no matter what.
For the US I can just recommend to think about what you dry how.
Running a US style dryer might use 4kWh per hour operated or more.
Replacing existing dryers with the upcoming full size heatpump dryers when the time comes makes an INSANE difference, upwards of 60% in savings.
Same with a water heater.
If you don't have gas, and the water heater needs replacing, just get a heat pump version.
Cuts hot water costs in half or less.
If you do have gas though - at least price wise - there isn't much you can do.
If hygiene isn't your goal for a load of laundry, upping your washtime and dropping the temp a bit is really the only thing you can do there without sacrificing results.
Yes!
We live in an all electric home and currently our rates from Pacific Gas and Electric are probably the highest in the USA, at $0.43 per KWH in tier 1 and $0.52 in tier 2. I wash normally 3 loads per week. On Tuesday I wash the whites, towels and light colors with hot water, Tide Hygienic Ultra Clean and Clorox Color Safe Bleach (if the towels for the week are white then I use LCB instead of the Color Safe Bleach), the second load is all the medium to dark colors using warm water and Tide. On Saturday I change the bed and wash a load of sheets in hot water with Tide.
In the past I would have done a separate load for whites only, then light colors and the last load of dark colors. Using the Clorox Color Safe Bleach, hot water and Tide Hygienic Clean for the combined whites, towels and light colors doesn’t seem to have caused a problem with the whites coming out nice and white and has helped to keep the electric bill down a bit. Even so, tracking the electric use on the SMART meter website the cost of the electricity during the hours of using the washer and dryer come to almost as much as I’d have to pay going to the laundromat.
All of you that live in states with lower electric rates should thank your lucky stars. We really get hosed in California by PG&E. They just keep raising the rates, and posting record profit increases that correspond with the percentage of these rate increases and then proclaim that the rate increases have nothing to do with their record profits. Please! Judge Judy wrote a book titled “Don’t Pee on My Leg and Tell Me That It’s Raining”, this seems to apply to what PG&E has to say about their profits. It’s total bullsh*t!
Eddie
We live in an all electric home and currently our rates from Pacific Gas and Electric are probably the highest in the USA, at $0.43 per KWH in tier 1 and $0.52 in tier 2. I wash normally 3 loads per week. On Tuesday I wash the whites, towels and light colors with hot water, Tide Hygienic Ultra Clean and Clorox Color Safe Bleach (if the towels for the week are white then I use LCB instead of the Color Safe Bleach), the second load is all the medium to dark colors using warm water and Tide. On Saturday I change the bed and wash a load of sheets in hot water with Tide.
In the past I would have done a separate load for whites only, then light colors and the last load of dark colors. Using the Clorox Color Safe Bleach, hot water and Tide Hygienic Clean for the combined whites, towels and light colors doesn’t seem to have caused a problem with the whites coming out nice and white and has helped to keep the electric bill down a bit. Even so, tracking the electric use on the SMART meter website the cost of the electricity during the hours of using the washer and dryer come to almost as much as I’d have to pay going to the laundromat.
All of you that live in states with lower electric rates should thank your lucky stars. We really get hosed in California by PG&E. They just keep raising the rates, and posting record profit increases that correspond with the percentage of these rate increases and then proclaim that the rate increases have nothing to do with their record profits. Please! Judge Judy wrote a book titled “Don’t Pee on My Leg and Tell Me That It’s Raining”, this seems to apply to what PG&E has to say about their profits. It’s total bullsh*t!
Eddie
No, I'm not doing laundry often enough that running only 104F washes instead of a weekly 140F one would save reasonable amounts of money - even though one kWh is 40 Cents over here.
Same with the dishwasher: have never used the Eco cycle. That being said, I've never had to run a washer/dishwasher self-cleaning cycle, either.
However, I did cut back even more on heating. I probably could also save money if I only drove the minimum speed on the Autobahn.
Same with the dishwasher: have never used the Eco cycle. That being said, I've never had to run a washer/dishwasher self-cleaning cycle, either.
However, I did cut back even more on heating. I probably could also save money if I only drove the minimum speed on the Autobahn.
No.
Water is heated with gas as is the house. In the winter, I use my electric dryers vented through supplemental filters into the basement with the furnace fan running to disperse the heat and humidity through the house so I don't consider the heat wasted. In the summer, I dry with gas outdoors so I do not draw hot, humid outside air into the air conditioned interior space or exhaust conditioned air to the outside.
Since I have to use a shared laundry with washers and dryers that use quarters, No changes! Washers are still $2.00 for 46 minute cycle using hot, warm or cold water. Dryers are 63 minutes with hot warm or delicate temps. Hot bakes everything! If I use a dryer, it's always on delicate.
Tide w/bleach powder is my detergent of choice for all my laundry- one white load with hot water and one load of mixed colors on warm. Rarely use dryer!
Tide w/bleach powder is my detergent of choice for all my laundry- one white load with hot water and one load of mixed colors on warm. Rarely use dryer!
Really no change here:
I always try to do full loads in the SQ FL. Usually, hot wash with 140f water from the gas water heater, warm for delicates and medium dry temp on auto dry. Also, I try to use the dryer during the day in the winter and night in the summer.
WK78
I always try to do full loads in the SQ FL. Usually, hot wash with 140f water from the gas water heater, warm for delicates and medium dry temp on auto dry. Also, I try to use the dryer during the day in the winter and night in the summer.
WK78
Energy costs
Every other load of white towels and sheets are ran on Whitest Whites + AutoSoak using 45°C temp, instead of the Sanitize cycle. I’m probably not saving much electric here, but oh well. I’m sure the additional additives of OxiClean Laundry Sanitizer and Dirty labs booster in the lower temp load make up for the savings though.
Also, rarely running heated dry in the KitchenAid. It heats the kitchen a fair amount. Still running ProWash. Normal is too conservative.
We all would save far more electric and water if we turned the hot water tap off while lathering up in the shower.
Every other load of white towels and sheets are ran on Whitest Whites + AutoSoak using 45°C temp, instead of the Sanitize cycle. I’m probably not saving much electric here, but oh well. I’m sure the additional additives of OxiClean Laundry Sanitizer and Dirty labs booster in the lower temp load make up for the savings though.
Also, rarely running heated dry in the KitchenAid. It heats the kitchen a fair amount. Still running ProWash. Normal is too conservative.
We all would save far more electric and water if we turned the hot water tap off while lathering up in the shower.
Saving energy while doing laundry
Even if we haven’t made any changes to our routine, we’re all using less energy than we once did thanks to the changes in water, heaters machine, design, etc., imposed by the department of energy.
I’ve always tried to be as economical as possible when doing laundry also my work involves advising people how to use machines to best advantage and we’ve always emphasized getting great results while using the minimum amount of power.
Even Dan with his Maytag and very hot water temperature is using less energy because his water heaters are better insulated than they would’ve been if they’ve been made 40 years ago for example.
Wow Eddie I can’t believe $.40 a kilowatt for power if I was paying that kind of money, they would definitely be some changes that front load washer would’ve gone in long ago and I would’ve figured out a way to put a heat pump water heater in, at our age since we have the money to do these things you’re leaving a legacy behind for the next generation helping to fight climate change by investing in these things even if they don’t pay off entirely in our lifetime.
I’m using half the electricity that I used 20 years ago in my house and have not given up any comfort, even on the hottest summer months here I use less than 1500 kW where I used to hit 3000 years ago. Depending on your laundry appliances, there May or may not be easy ways to save energy, modern machines spin the clothes so dry that that minimizes dryer usage. A dryer is still better for the environment than a conventional dryer because of the amount of Carbon produced running a gas dryer, heat pump dryers will eventually win out, but they come at a much greater cost and also repair rate than conventional vented electric or gas dryers. We’re starting to work on heat pump dryers more and they really are clogging themselves up badly and need extensive tear downs and cleanings after as few as five years to keep them working efficiently.
John
Even if we haven’t made any changes to our routine, we’re all using less energy than we once did thanks to the changes in water, heaters machine, design, etc., imposed by the department of energy.
I’ve always tried to be as economical as possible when doing laundry also my work involves advising people how to use machines to best advantage and we’ve always emphasized getting great results while using the minimum amount of power.
Even Dan with his Maytag and very hot water temperature is using less energy because his water heaters are better insulated than they would’ve been if they’ve been made 40 years ago for example.
Wow Eddie I can’t believe $.40 a kilowatt for power if I was paying that kind of money, they would definitely be some changes that front load washer would’ve gone in long ago and I would’ve figured out a way to put a heat pump water heater in, at our age since we have the money to do these things you’re leaving a legacy behind for the next generation helping to fight climate change by investing in these things even if they don’t pay off entirely in our lifetime.
I’m using half the electricity that I used 20 years ago in my house and have not given up any comfort, even on the hottest summer months here I use less than 1500 kW where I used to hit 3000 years ago. Depending on your laundry appliances, there May or may not be easy ways to save energy, modern machines spin the clothes so dry that that minimizes dryer usage. A dryer is still better for the environment than a conventional dryer because of the amount of Carbon produced running a gas dryer, heat pump dryers will eventually win out, but they come at a much greater cost and also repair rate than conventional vented electric or gas dryers. We’re starting to work on heat pump dryers more and they really are clogging themselves up badly and need extensive tear downs and cleanings after as few as five years to keep them working efficiently.
John
SCE TOU-D-PRIME-CARE plan with solar panels. Highest rates are 4:00pm to 9:00pm
NO running the washer, dryer or dishwasher during high rate times. Dishwasher is always programmed to start after 9:00pm.
Meal prep is unavoidable. On time for the induction stove is usually less than an hour a day.
Re: #14
During the summer months we use between 400 to 500 kwh of electricity per mo and during the fall and winter months between 750 to 1250 kwh per mo and thats with electric heat, so we’re already pretty conservative with our power use. A good deal less than the 1500 kwh per mo you’re bragging about.
If there was an FL washer that I liked that would fit into our laundry closet I’d buy it. Perhaps we’d use about 50 fewer kwh per mo with an FL. Doing 3 to 4 loads of laundry a week in our TL using Auto Sense isn’t a wasteful use of either water or electricity. Since we live in a condo heat pumps are not an option, we can’t just start cutting holes into the exterior walls to install heat pumps.
We do the best we can to be conservative with our electric usage given that we live in an all electric home. Fortunately our fairly mild climate in the summer months allows us to comfortably get along without AC, so we aren’t wasting power that way.
Eddie[this post was last edited: 4/8/2024-13:22]
During the summer months we use between 400 to 500 kwh of electricity per mo and during the fall and winter months between 750 to 1250 kwh per mo and thats with electric heat, so we’re already pretty conservative with our power use. A good deal less than the 1500 kwh per mo you’re bragging about.
If there was an FL washer that I liked that would fit into our laundry closet I’d buy it. Perhaps we’d use about 50 fewer kwh per mo with an FL. Doing 3 to 4 loads of laundry a week in our TL using Auto Sense isn’t a wasteful use of either water or electricity. Since we live in a condo heat pumps are not an option, we can’t just start cutting holes into the exterior walls to install heat pumps.
We do the best we can to be conservative with our electric usage given that we live in an all electric home. Fortunately our fairly mild climate in the summer months allows us to comfortably get along without AC, so we aren’t wasting power that way.
Eddie[this post was last edited: 4/8/2024-13:22]
As I mentioned in the past, my gas and electric rates are not terrible. In the summer I pay $20ish a month for gas. Water heater set to maximum, gas cooktop, gas grill and gas dryer. However water is a killer. I pay quarterly and it breaks down to $70/mo!
All toilets are low flush, I only use my Duet for laundry, I have a 3 yo KA DW and so on. You would think being surrounded by the Great Lakes water would be cheap, but no.
All toilets are low flush, I only use my Duet for laundry, I have a 3 yo KA DW and so on. You would think being surrounded by the Great Lakes water would be cheap, but no.
We use anywhere from about 800 to 1100 kWh per month. Daily average is about 29kWh.
Off-Peak: 8.7 cents from 7pm to 7am and all weekend
Mid-peak: 12.2 cents Mon-Fri from 11am to 5pm
Peak Price: 18.2 cents Mon-Fri from 7a.m to 11a.m and then 5pm to 7pm
There's other options like tiered pricing and ultra low Off peak (3cents) with much higher peak prices etc but that wouldn't work for us..
Our monthly bill is always somewhere in the $140 Cdn. range which isn't too bad. Still in all I turn lights off all the time, try to use the dryer after 7 but don't really worry about cooking or using the dishwasher which alway seems to fall in our mid peak .
Off-Peak: 8.7 cents from 7pm to 7am and all weekend
Mid-peak: 12.2 cents Mon-Fri from 11am to 5pm
Peak Price: 18.2 cents Mon-Fri from 7a.m to 11a.m and then 5pm to 7pm
There's other options like tiered pricing and ultra low Off peak (3cents) with much higher peak prices etc but that wouldn't work for us..
Our monthly bill is always somewhere in the $140 Cdn. range which isn't too bad. Still in all I turn lights off all the time, try to use the dryer after 7 but don't really worry about cooking or using the dishwasher which alway seems to fall in our mid peak .
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