With many people focused on trying to save money at the moment, you would be forgiven for thinking that a dishwasher is a luxury that you cannot afford. However, you would be mistaken, as there are many ways that you can increase the efficiency of a dishwasher, whilst saving your pennies at the same time.
We have put together a quick guide to getting the most out of your dishwasher, which we hope will help to put your mind at ease when it comes to making your decision of whether to use it or not.
It is not cost or energy efficient to run your dishwasher with just a couple of items inside. Waiting until the machine is full also makes much more sense than washing by hand, using less water and energy on a larger load, than washing lots of smaller loads in the sink.
Whilst maximising a full load, be careful not to overfill your machine, as this will have an impact on the quality of the clean, meaning you may have to wash some items again, as well as risking the long-term quality of the appliance.
If you carry out regular cleaning and maintenance on your dishwasher, it should remain efficient and reduce the need to call out repair companies. Ensure that you use a trusted detergent in your washes, keep the inside clean by removing any loose food that may be at risk of clogging up the drains and clean the detergent drawers to stop them from building limescale.
Make sure that you have removed any food waste from the plate into the bin before you load the dishwasher. This will ensure that the appliance won’t need to work as hard to try and get the plates clean.
If your dishwasher has an air dry setting, simply use this and leave the dishwasher door open overnight so that your dishes can dry naturally. The reduction of heat needed inside the appliance will result in a lower energy bill.
If you are on a "time of use" electricity tariff, then using an appliance outside of peak hours can make you some real savings. Switch your machine on before you go to bed or first thing in the morning, or use your dishwasher timer settings so that you can start it in the middle of the night.
Turning the temperature down by even just a little bit can help you to save energy and therefore money. The clean will be just as effective and the water won’t be kept as hot inside the appliance.
If you are investing in a new dishwasher, look for one that has a good energy rating that will use less energy. Programmes such as quick wash cycles are also good to look out for, meaning that the run time will be less than a standard one.
At Beacon Electrical we have a wide range of energy efficient dishwashers with additional features to help save you money on your energy bills.
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