Tip 8 - Dish It Out |
| Dishwashers commonly use water heated to 140°F which is hotter than any other water used in the home. Not everyone has a dishwasher, but everyone washes dishes. It's a surprisingly energy-intensive activity and a major opportunity to conserve. |
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ENERGY FACTS
- About 80 percent of the energy your dishwasher uses heats the water.
- Ohio State University researchers say a dishwasher load requires 37 percent less water than washing dishes by hand, if you leave the water running.
- However, if you fill wash and rinse basins instead of letting the water run, you'll use half as much water as a dishwasher.
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SIMPLE WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY
- Try to wash only with full loads. The savings will surprise you.
- Use short cycles for everything but the dirtiest dishes. Short cycles use less energy and work as well.
- If your dishwasher has an air-dry setting, choose it instead of the heat-dry setting. You'll knock 15 percent off the energy use, and as much as 50 percent in some cases. If there's no air-dry setting, turn the dishwasher off after its final rinse and open the door. The dishes will dry without using any extra electricity.
- Do you rinse dishes before loading them? Use cold water, but don't waste water by letting it run continuously.
- If your dishwasher has a booster heater, use it so that you can set your hot-water tank at a lower temperature (120°F).
- Install your dishwasher away from your refrigerator. The dishwasher's heat and moisture make the fridge work harder. If they must be adjacent, a sheet of foam insulation can minimize the damage.
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