How Water Efficient is Your Washer-Dryer?

The washer-dryer is a helpful appliance that helps you save a lot of time and effort as you complete the daily household chores. Unfortunately, the appliance can also be a big water guzzler.

The amount of water consumed per wash-dry cycle or the water efficiency, varies greatly across washer-dryers. As per product review company Which?, the difference between a water-saving washer-dryer and an inefficient model could be as much as 17 litres per kilogram of washing. Unknown to the average consumer, most washer-dryers also use significant quantities of water for cooling during the drying cycle.

Choose a water-efficient washer-dryer

Buying a water efficient washer-dryer can save as much as 3000 litres of water a year, which will reduce your utility bills and limit your carbon footprint.

To buy a water efficient washer dryer you should:

• Read the water consumption information printed on the bottom half of the EU energy label.
• Choose a washer-dryer that carries the ‘Energy Saving Trust Recommended’ logo, as that is a good indicator of its overall efficiency. Don’t simply choose a machine with a high-energy efficiency rating, as this indicates how much electricity it uses and has nothing to do with water consumption.

Tips for reducing your washer-dryer’s water consumption

Apart from buying an appliance that is technically water efficient, here are a few tips to reduce the per cycle water consumption of your washer dryer:

• Wash and dry full loads so you can lower the number of cycles.
• If you tend not to fill the drum on most washes, consider buying a washing machine with a smaller drum the next time around.
• Buy a washer-dryer with auto load control. This feature will automatically adjust the water level depending on the load per wash cycle.
• A washer-dryer with better spin performance (i.e., a higher rpm (revolutions per minute) value) will reduce the drying time and is therefore more efficient.
• Use cotton wash instead of synthetic wash to reduce water consumption by as much as 50%.
• Use the extra rinse cycle only if it is necessary; for instance to get rid of the fabric softener/ detergent because a family member has skin allergies.

When the weather permits, save on water by hanging your clothes to dry out.