Welcome to the Dead River Company blog!

Did you know that the average family of four washes almost 400 loads of laundry a year? Your laundry could be adding up over time – and we don’t mean the clothes in your laundry basket! Washing and drying clothes uses a lot of energy, but it doesn’t have to with these 6 ways to save money on your water and energy bills while doing laundry.

1. Use cold water. Roughly 90% of the energy used to run the washing machine comes from heating the water. Skip the hot water and switch to cold. For the laundry that needs hot water, consider installing a propane tankless water heater – an energy efficient solution that provides hot water on demand as it’s needed.

2. Air dry your clothes. Cut energy costs by hanging clothes out to dry on a clothesline when it’s warm. Use a drying rack in the colder months to take advantage of these cost savings year round.

3. Wash full loads. It takes the same amount of energy to wash a small load as it does a full one. Save energy–and spend less time in the laundry room–by only washing full loads.

4. Clean the lint filter. Your clothes will dry faster, using less energy, when you regularly clean the lint filter. Increase dryer efficiency by cleaning between each use.

5. Switch to propane. A propane clothes dryer saves about 20% annually on energy costs and nearly one ton of CO₂ emissions over its lifetime compared with electric dryers. Consider switching when it’s time for a new dryer.

6. Update your washing machine. An Energy Star certified front-loading or high-efficiency top-loading washer uses 35% less water and 20% less energy compared to other models. This not only reduces your water bill, but saves in heating costs if using hot water.

If you have questions about increasing your home’s energy efficiency or switching to propane, a Residential Energy Advisor would be happy to help. Don’t hesitate to contact us!