This winter, many of us are doing our best to reduce the energy costs in our households. To do this, some may consider reducing the number of times we are turning our appliances on. However, it is important not to overload which can easily be done if too much is put inside a washing machine or tumble dryer. In this article we look at ways to effectively run your appliance without the risk of overloading.
Why is it important not to overload?
To put it simply, overloading can cause issues with your appliance. If too much is put in for a cycle, it may cause the appliance to work harder to turn the heavier load. Over time, turning this heavier load can result in misalignment issues with the drum. These issues can be difficult to rectify once they have occurred, so it is best to prevent them altogether by avoiding overloading.
How can we avoid overloading?
To avoid overloading, one of the easiest things to do is to check the programmes for suitable load sizes. Your appliance will have recommended load sizes for different programmes which take into consideration the programme length, the temperature, and the speed of the spin. This means you may find for some quicker cycles, a smaller load will be needed to provide an effective spin for your laundry. Although you may need to run a few more cycles, it will benefit in the long-term as it prevents any issues as a result of overloading from occurring.
Our advice to reducing costs whilst keeping on top of your laundry.
When doing your laundry, it is best to always consider if the clothing really needs washing/drying, or can it wait a few more uses. Sometimes we put things in the wash after wearing once, when we can put it back on a hanger and wear it again a couple more times before it needs to be cleaned. If we do this, it can reduce our laundry pile significantly. This will prevent the need to wash so many items which reduces the cost and also our own workloads.
Another tip is reducing the temperature of your wash. Most appliances will have adjustable temperature settings for cycles. These are primarily used for ensuring the correct temperature is used for different fabric types. However, this can be utilised to reduce energy costs. If suitable for the fabric type, you can reduce the temperature slightly on the cycle. By doing this, you can reduce the amount of energy being used for the wash.
You may find that your appliance has an ECO mode. These are typically set cycles/programmes which have a lower temperature, use less water, but have a slightly longer cycle time. Although it runs for longer, by reducing the temperature and water it reduces the cost of the wash. This is an easy solution and means you do not have to manually adjust the temperature settings.
Although tumble dryers offer convenience over the colder months, it might be worth considering a heated electric clothes dryer to help with the drying. These are significantly cheaper to run and the clothes can be laid on the drying rack and taken off when done.
Of course, alongside these tips, you should also ensure your appliances are effectively looked after over the winter months to maintain performance and prevent any breakdown issues.