Avoid Using Your Washing Machine At This Time (And Other Ways To Save On Your Electric Bill)

Do you ever feel like your power company holds some sort of personal grudge against you? Well, you are not alone! A lot of people in the U.S. feel the same way. This makes many people wonder what they can do to reduce their electricity bill. Luckily, though, you don't have to stop using your electrical appliances, like washing machines, to cut down your bill. Sometimes, simply avoiding running your washing machine during certain hours can make a significant difference, too. This is especially important in places where companies use variable Time of Use (TOU) rates. In this billing mechanism, peak hours, when electricity demand is the highest, cost more, while off-peak hours, when there is not much demand, cost significantly less. Put simply, using your washing machine in peak hours is not a good idea.

Just keep in mind that the timing of these hours can vary from place to place. Plus, some locations may even have different electricity rates depending on the day of the week. So, make sure to check your peak and off-peak hours by visiting your power company's website, or get in touch with one of their representatives. And once you have the data, just avoid running your machine during peak demand hours. And if the off-peak hours are at midnight, take some time to check your washing machine's settings. It might have a delay-start feature that can help you run your washing machine at a set time. But what if your power company does not use TOU settings? Well, don't worry! There are still many other ways to save on your electric bill.

Washing machines, on average, consume about 1.5 kilowatts of power per hour. Plus, if you use features like the dryer or hot-water wash function, they will consume even more power. So, one way you can reduce these energy costs at home is to invest in an ENERGY STAR-certified washing machine. They definitely cost more, but they use 20% less energy than other washers. And this will save you money in the long run. Other than this, another way you can reduce electricity consumption while using your washing machine is to use the eco mode. Pretty much all modern clothes washers have this feature. What this feature essentially does is it uses less water and lower temperatures to wash the clothes. This allows the washing machine to operate at a lower wattage, which then saves energy.

But what if you have an old machine that does not have this feature? Well, in that case, the best way to make sure it doesn't use much power is to keep it well-maintained so it works efficiently. All machines, as they age, go through mechanical wear and tear. This can increase their power usage over time, leading to higher bills. And lastly, another way to save money when doing laundry is to just wash the clothes less often. In fact, most of our clothes don't even need to be washed after every wear. However, if that sounds too gross, you can at least try to wash only moderately dirty or sweaty clothes in the quick wash mode to help save energy.