Do Economy Settings Really Save Money?

close up of dollar bill

close up of dollar bill

As a homeowner, you most likely have a dishwasher or washing machine in your home. Some homeowners are dedicated to using the economy settings while others don’t even realize that is an option. Economy settings often give the impression it saves money or energy. This topic has been debated by homeowners for many years. Continue reading below to learn more about this setting and if it really saves money.

The Good News

You do save money, twice! Economy settings on washing machines, hot water heaters and dishwashers conserve water by using less and don’t use heated water. This means you are saving money on your water bill by using less water and at the same time saving money on your electric bill because the hot water heater doesn’t get used to heat up the water for the appliance. So, it is true that you do save money.

The Bad News

While you are saving money using the economy settings, the job the appliance is intended for, may not being meeting your standards. For example, let’s say you load your dishwasher after a large family party. You are too tired to scrape off tiny bits of food particles off the dishes, so you just load the dishwasher. You fill the reservoir with your favorite dishwashing detergent and let it go to work on the economy setting. The results are not great. The food is still stuck to the plate and you have to run the cycle again.

In this scenario homeowners are quick to blame the dishwasher detergent instead of the economy setting, usually because the economy setting has always been able to handle the dishes on a daily basis. However, this time you end up running the economy cycle twice. This causes you to use water and energy twice, as well as twice as much detergent. All of it costing you money and voiding the reason for using the economy setting in the first place.

There’s a time and place for economy settings. When used on small loads of laundry that don’t have a lot of stains it is perfect. But used on a small load of laundry with a lot of dirt, grime and stains will not produce the best results. You have to learn the right time to use the economy settings on your appliances to get the best out of each use.

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Since 1968, Chip Mokher & his team has provided South Florida with quality service with a commitment to our customers’ satisfaction. Our many years of experience has allowed us to serve thousands of homes and businesses in Miami-Dade County. We welcome the opportunity to serve you, please call us at 305-446-8266 or email us at chip@mokherplumbing.com