Don't Lose Your Shirt To High Utility Bills: Energy-Saving Tips

The typical U.S. household cleans and dries about 300 loads of laundry in a year, consuming a lot of energy in the process, according to the Minnesota Commerce Department.

Washers and dryers, along with refrigerators, are the biggest energy users among household appliances. Dryers use about 769 kilowatt hours (kWh) a year on average, while washers use 590 kWh and refrigerators average 596 kWh, state officials said. That means there is plenty of opportunity to reduce energy consumption, and save money, when doing your laundry.

To save money and reduce carbon emissions, the Minnesota Commerce Department offers these energy-saving laundry tips:

• Wash with cold water. Using warm water instead of hot can cut a load's energy use in half, while using cold water will save even more.
• Wash full loads. Your washer will use about the same amount of energy no matter the size of the load, so fill it up.
• Dry right-sized loads for your machine. If the dryer is too full, it will take longer for the clothes to dry.
• Air dry when you can. Hang laundry outside to avoid using the dryer altogether.
• Clean the lint filter on your dryer. The dryer will run more efficiently and safely.
• Use lower heat settings in the dryer. Even if the drying cycle is longer, you will use less energy and be less likely to over-dry your clothes.
• Use the moisture sensor option if your dryer has one. Many new dryers come with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the machine when clothes are dry. This will save energy and reduce wear and tear on your clothes.

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