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Did You Know? The laundry accounts for 15-20% of all water consumed in the home, making it a high consumer of water, detergents and energy. However, this doesn’t have to remain the case – you can save water, energy and, most importantly, money, with a little bit of know-how. Here are a few of our handy and inexpensive tips to save water in the laundry.
- One of the easiest methods is to install a water efficient washing machine. Look for machines with a four or more star rating on the WELS (Water Efficiency Labeling and Standards) label.
- Consider purchasing a front-loading washing machine. Overall, they perform better and they use less water than top-loaders – up to 70% less in some cases or 36, 000 litres per year in a typical home. Additionally, they use less detergent and less energy if washed in warm or hot water.
- Always wash with a full load – this saves 10 litres of water per wash. If you’re not able to wash with a full load, ensure that you adjust the water level to suit the size of the load. Some new models will do this automatically.
- If you’re doing several loads of washing on the same day, consider using the sud-save option on your machine, if it has one.
- A leaky tap can usually be fixed with a new washer, which is easy to install. If, after installing a new washer, the tap still drips, call your plumber. The cost of a professional service will save you money on your water bills in the long run.
- Install water-efficient tapware or retrofit old tapware with aerators or flow control valves. These are inexpensive and can reduce water flow by 50%.
Insulate your hot water pipes to save energy and to avoid wasting water while waiting for hot water to flow through.
