True or False? Using a Dishwasher Is More Expensive Than Hand Washing
This is a Fable. It is a commonly-held belief that dishwashers are convenient, but use more water and energy than hand washing. In fact, dishwashers can help you to conserve water and save on energy bills.
An average load of dishes cleaned in a dishwasher uses 37% less water than washing dishes by hand. This can save the typical household nearly 5,000 gallons of water per year.
Although operating a dishwasher increases electricity consumption, the energy reduction from lower hot water temperatures on your hot water tank ultimately lowers energy use and your utility bills. According to ENERGY STAR®, the average household with an electric water heater saves $40 per year by using a dishwasher and households with a gas water heater save $32 per year.
Energy Savings Tips
Additional energy savings can be obtained by properly preparing your dishes for the dishwasher. Rinsing dishes before loading them into the dishwasher can use up to 20 gallons of water. Most dishwashers and detergents are designed to clean without rinsing, just scrape the dishes and load. If dishes will be sitting overnight, the residue may become difficult to clean. Use your dishwasher's pre-rinse feature. It uses only a fraction of the water that is needed for hand rinsing. Be sure that your dishwasher is full before beginning a cycle and use short wash cycles when less cleaning is needed. In addition, using a rinse agent and air-drying, rather than using the heat dry cycle, will save energy use during the wash cycle.
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