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Most dishwashers use hot water only, so their energy consumption is closely related to the amount of water they use and the temperature your water heater is set at. In addition, these appliances have a heated drying cycle that uses a significant amount of electricity.
The easiest way to save energy while using a dishwasher is to avoid using the heated drying cycle. The "Energy Saver" option on most dishwashers does just that. If your machine doesn't have this feature, you can simply open the door of the machine once the washing cycle finishes. The dishes will then simply drip and air dry.
Water temperature is a bit more difficult to address. Standard advice has long been to set your hot water heater at 120 degrees if your dishwasher has a water temperature booster and 130 degrees if it does not. The reason behind this advice has been to insure that animal fats were dissolved and the maximum amount of disinfecting took place. However, dishwashers with temperature boosters cost more to buy, and 130 degree domestic hot water significantly increases the danger of scalding and wastes energy. In making your buying and operating decisions keep in mind that studies show that machine washing dishes-even at 120 degrees-yields cleaner and more sanitary dishes than hand washing.
In the past decade manufacturers have improved both the efficiency and the cleaning power of these appliances. Today most machines do not require pre-rinsing of your dishes. Skipping pre-rinsing saves time and water. However, scraping food off dirty dishes with a rubber spatula improves the cleaning and the environmental impact of a dishwasher.
Speaking of environmental impact, consider using a non-phosphate dishwashing detergent. Unlike laundry detergents, many dishwashing detergents contain high levels of these problematic chemicals.
Additional tips for "green" dishwashing
- Always wash full loads.
- Don't use the "rinse and hold" feature.
- Try using baking soda in the pre-wash cup instead of detergent.
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For more information from Seattle City Light on appliances, please e-mail rescons.scl@seattle.gov or call 206.684.3800.
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