If you’re following recent news reports then there is a good chance you are aware of the drought affecting the west coast. And Idaho isn’t exempt from this drought, as we haven’t had nearly as much snow pack as we need for the coming year. There is a very real possibility that the dry conditions will persist and the drought will continue to get worse. Though many of us already do our best to conserve, we want to give you some water-specific saving tips and information so we can take our combined conservation efforts to even greater heights.
If you think about the appliances in your house, I’m sure the ones that use the most water can easily be identified. Dishwashers, clothes washers, and ice machines are the most common heavy water-usage appliances. And luckily for all of us there are ways to make each one better at conserving water. Here is all the information you need to make these appliances as water efficient as possible.
Most people assume that dishwashers use more water than washing by hand. This has been proven false! It turns out using a dishwasher uses much less water than hand washing. On average, the extra water it takes to hand wash amounts to more than 4 more gallons per wash! So if your dishwasher isn’t working at its best, then it may be the time to get yours repaired.
Most all dishwashers have water-saver settings. If your dishwasher doesn’t have a water-saver setting, consider running your dishwasher on a short or delicate wash. That should be plenty of cleaning power for everyday loads. And if you dry scrape the food off before you put it into the dishwasher, you will go even farther in conserving water and the food particles actually make the soap more effective!
With clothes washers much of the same advice applies. Washers usually come with water saver settings, and the ones that don’t have options for small loads, shorter washes, and lower wash intensity. Make sure your load size is set at exactly the size of your laundry load to conserve water. Using extra water does not mean cleaner clothes.
If you are using a top-load washer be aware that, on average, they use 3 times more water than their front-loading counterparts. Consider purchasing an energy and water efficient front loader, and you will end up saving loads on your utility bills over time.
Free-standing wet ice machines can be real water wasters! It will continually make ice as the old ice melts as here is no other added refrigeration. If you are not currently using much ice, bag it up! Then just turn it on periodically when the need arises. Make sure to have it professionally cleaned yearly to keep it from calcifying and yucking up ice production.
We hope some of these tips will inspire you to turn down the flow of water going down the drain. Remember that if we want to beat this drought it will take the efforts of all of us working together. Do it for Idaho, but let’s remember that we all live on this planet together and every drop counts!
Summary
Article Name
How do I Conserve Water With My Home Appliances?
Description
If you’re following recent news reports then there is a good chance you are aware of the drought affecting the west coast. We need to make sure we are doing everything we can to fight back!
Author
Patty Husk
