With the amount of laundry a family can do in a week, it’s important to have an energy efficient washer and dryer. Not only will it be friendlier to the environment but it can save you a lot of money with each load.

Consumer reports will show a wide variety of washers and dryers, varying in size, loudness and efficiency. Here are some tips on picking the most efficient washer and dryer for your home.

• Washers and dryers that load from the front versus the top are the most efficient in electricity and water consumption
• Rather than looking for a particular brand, look for the Energy Star logo on any washer to ensure an average cost of $85 a year to run
• Energy Star estimates that if all washers sold in the US this year were Energy Star rated, we would save 540 million kWh of electricity, 20 billion gallons of water and 1.8 trillion BTUs of natural gas every year.
• Dryers use the most energy out of all household appliances. Americans could save $1.5 billion each year in utility costs if we all had Energy Star dryers.

If you’re not in the market to replace your current washer and dryer, here are a few tips to still be as efficient as possible.

• Lower the temperature of your water heater to 120° or use the cold wash cycle. For every 10 degrees you cut will reduce the cost of each cycle by 10%.
• Don’t use too much detergent or you run the risk of making your machine work harder than it needs to. Use HE (High Efficiency) detergent when possible.
• Make sure you have a full load before you run the wash but don’t over fill it.
• Use a drying rack or clothes line whenever possible.
• Clean the lint filter after every load and scrub it once a month to avoid any film build up.
• Place a clean, dry towel in dryer loads that aren’t quite full. It will absorb moisture and reduce drying time by nearly 25%.

If you’re looking for a new home to put your energy efficient washer and dryer in, we would love to help you!