Saturday, May 17, 2014

SAVE ENERGY WHEN WASHING / DRYING CLOTHES

Posted by: Sound Marketing for House Smart Home Improvements

CLOTHES WASHING:


If all the households in the U.S. switched from hot-hot cycle to warm-cold, we could save the energy comparable to 100,000 barrels of oil a day.
Even if you wash on hot and rinse on warm, you’re going to use an average of 4.5 kWh per load, which at a cost of $0.15 per kWh will cost you $0.68.

On the other hand, if you wash on cold and rinse on cold, you’re going to use an average of 0.3 kWh per load, which at a cost of $0.15 per kWh will cost you $0.04.
The numbers are clear: if you wash on hot, you’re dumping water down the drain.

Of course, there are a lot of counter-arguments for this.
The chief argument for using hot water is that hot water is the best route for getting your clothes as clean as possible. The high temperature of the water is most likely to kill bacteria and also to cause more movement of the water, causing more soiling and germs to be removed from the clothes.
However, hot water also does the most damage to clothes, causing them to shrink, wrinkle, and fade more than other temperatures.
Most of the time, our clothes simply aren’t dirty enough to warrant the rough treatment that a hot water washing would give them.

What about warm water? 

You may want to use warm water for stains or particularly dirty clothes. But it is still not necessary for everyday washing.
Washing your clothes on warm and rinsing on warm will cost you $0.53 per load, and washing your clothes on warm and rinsing on cold will cost you $0.29 per load.

Cold water washing is also the gentlest choice for your clothes, extending their life. There’s less garment wear on a cold water washing as well as fewer wrinkles (meaning less ironing) and less shrinkage.




  

CLOTHES DRYING - 9 REASONS TO LINE-DRY:


1. Save Money
Most households which abandon their clothes dryer save more than $100 per year off electric or gas bills. A new clothesline is much less expensive than a new clothes dryer.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Energy Conservation

Line drying laundry conserves energy and helps to protect the environment by saving precious fossil fuels. It is the pinnacle of green laundry!



3. Freshness

Clothes and sheets smell fresh without additional chemical laundry fresheners. This is particularly important for those sensitive to perfumes and dyes used in detergents and dryer products.


4. Gentle on Clothing

Tossing and tumbling in a dryer can cause wear and strain on clothing seams and buttons. Line drying is more gentle to fibers.


5. Physical Activity

Hanging up laundry is a physical activity which you can do inside or outside. Learn how to do it correctly.


6. Good Rays

Sunlight helps to bleach and disinfect laundry. This is particularly beneficial for sheets, towels and diapers. However, for dark clothes it can cause harm - keep them in the shade.


7. Winter Humidity

Indoor racks can humidify the air in dry winter weather. (Ok we'll skip this one for people in the lower mainland - our winters are moist enough!)


8. Prevent Fire Risks

Clothes dryer fires account for about 15,600 structure fires, 15 deaths and 400 injuries annually. The yearly costs in the United States for fire loss due to clothes dryer fires is estimated at $99 million.



9. Peacefulness

Taking time to enjoy the weather, the feel and smell of clean laundry can offer an outdoor experience that is meditative.







Finally:
If you really want to dry your clothes in the dryer, use dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. They can be rubber with little stubby spikes, or they can be all-natural made of felted wool. Basically, they bounce around in your laundry load, separating the clothes and fluffing them up, so that you don’t need to reduce static cling chemically.



 House Smart Home Improvements are experienced professionals with an  A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau. When it’s time to replace your windows, doors or  furnaces and heat pumps, or to install  insulation, and other energy-efficient home upgrades,  Give us a call. 604-585-2020. Right now, save 100 per window for a limited time if you live in the lower mainland, BC Canada 

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