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Facility Maintenance Tip: Energy Efficient Dishwashing
December 01, 2011
Here are a few ways to increase the efficiency of your dishwasher.
Looking to save energy when washing dishes? You don’t need to purchase brand new appliances; simply follow the guidelines below and you can increase the energy efficiency of your dishwasher, no matter how old it is.
- Fill the racks according to the manufacturer’s specifications and only run your dishwasher when it is completely full.
- Run the dishwasher at off-peak times (like at bedtime) to take advantage of any lower rates on electricity.
- Drop the water temperature to about 120 degrees on built-in heaters. This will significantly reduce your water heating bill since every 10-degree reduction in temperature cuts energy consumption by 3-5%.
- Choose the "light" wash setting to use less water and reduce running time. If you need something heavier go for the “normal” cycle, and only use "heavy" or "pots/pans" cycle when the load is quite dirty.
- Let your dishes air dry instead of using the automated drying option. You can either choose the no-heat drying option, or just simply turn the dishwasher off at the end of the rinse cycle.
- This may go against everything your mother taught you, but DO NOT rinse dishes before putting them into the dishwasher. Modern dishwashers are able to complete the job without help, although you should continue to scrape your dishes and drain liquids.
- Consider moving your dishwasher away from the refrigerator so the heat from the dishwasher doesn't cause the fridge to work harder in order to remain cool.
Be sure to use your dishwasher instead of washing by hand. It takes more hot water (and therefore more energy) to hand wash dishes than to run a full load in the dishwasher, particularly if you hand wash small loads and rinse each piece individually.
Allen Bernard
FaciliTech Maintenance Minute
FaciliTech
General Maintenance
