Almost all of the energy used by clothes
washers is for heating the hot water used to wash the clothes. Only about 10
percent or less of the energy is used by the electric motor which runs the
clothes washer. So, the best way to improve the efficiency of a clothes washer
is to reduce the amount of water, particularly hot water, that is needed to
wash the clothes.
The efficiency of a clothes washer is
measured by a term called the energy factor. It is somewhat similar to the
miles per gallon for a car, but in this case the measure is cubic feet of
washing capacity per kilowatt-hour of electricity. The minimum allowed energy
factor rating for standard capacity clothes washers is 1.18.
Federal law requires that EnergyGuide labels
be placed on all new clothes washers. These labels are bright yellow with black
lettering. When you're shopping for the best buy in a new appliance,
EnergyGuide labels can save you money.
Content
Provided By the DOE