Cleaner Clothes at Lower Cost
Imagine a washing machine that gets your clothes cleaner, saves water and energy and is gentler to your garments. It is a new way to do wash at home, and it is called the tumble clothes washer.
Turning laundry on its side
Until recently, home washing machines have been almost exclusively top loading, with the clothes immersed in an upright tub. Cleaning is achieved by moving the laundry around an agitator. Tumble action washers are front-loading, with the washtub turned on its side. Clothes are lifted and "tumbled" through a shallow pool of water at the bottom. This design translates into substantial savings in water and energy.
Save on water and wastewater bills
Washing a load of laundry in a standard, top-loading machine uses as much as 45 gallons of water. Washing the same load in a front-loading washer can use 20 gallons less. That adds up to 8,000 gallons per year saved -- as much as the average person drinks in a lifetime.
Less energy, soap, and drying time
Saving water also means saving energy to heat the water. High-efficiency horizontal-axis washers can save the average household $80 a year in electricity in water heating and clothes drying costs. For an electric water heater and clothes dryer the savings add up to 500 kilowatt hours of electricity a year.
Because they have a spin cycle that runs at 100 miles per hour, tumble action machines remove more moisture than top-loading machines. Clothes dry faster so you can set your dryer for less time. Also, tumble action machines can use up to one-third less detergent.
Horizontal-axis machines cost more than top-loading models, ranging from $600 to $1,300, depending on the model. However, over the life of the machine, the resulting savings more than make up for the extra cost.
Cleaner clothes, gentler wash
Tumble action machines are very gentle, extending the life of garments and making it possible to wash many "dry clean only" fabrics. The large-capacity tubs accommodate bigger loads and bulky items such as pillows. Tumble action models also get clothes cleaner.
For more information on machines contact these dealers:
For more information, contact Sharon, Klickitat PUD's Energy Services Specialist. You can call her at 509-773-7622 or toll-free at 800-548-8357.
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Last updated: 12/2009
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