The washing machine is one of those devices that literally changed our lives when they appeared. The number of hours saved is inestimable between the time we had to go to the public washhouse and the time when a machine cleans our laundry while we go about our other occupations. On the other hand, electricity has replaced elbow grease and water is used much more than before! This article provides an overview of the energy consumption of a washing machine and will allow you to do your own calculations to find out what your machine consumes in water and electricity annually.
What influences the consumption of a washing machine?
The washing machine is one of those household appliances that consume two different resources to function properly. These are water and electricity, both resources that we pay for and that it is useful to try to consume sparingly, whether for our wallet or for our planet!
But what are the elements that make this consumption more or less important? We can distinguish several factors that will cause these values to vary. The energy class of the device is the biggest axis, we can then talk about the capacity of the machine and the types of programs chosen.
The energy class of your washing machine can greatly vary its electricity consumption and it is wise to take this aspect into account when buying the appliance. Often, the least expensive machines are the most energy-intensive and sometimes the savings we believe we make on purchase are reversed on use!
The capacity and the types of cycle used obviously also vary the consumption. Inevitably, a machine that can treat 9kg of laundry in its drum will use more water than a 5kg machine. In the same way, a program at 60°C for 2 hours often consumes more electricity than an eco program at 40° !
There are therefore various elements to take into account when talking about the energy consumption of a washing machine. Below, we have detailed the methods you can use to find out the consumption of your personal washing machine, and even calculate its annual consumption!
How much water does a washing machine use?
Calculating the precise water consumption of a washing machine is impossible. In fact, this data depends on the program used and the amount of laundry in the drum. Since the information on the quantities of water per program is not available, it will be sufficient to use average consumption figures . Data that can already be very interesting and give a more or less precise idea of what your washing machine consumes for a year of operation.
To do so, nothing could be simpler. Simply consult the energy label present on the machine (or in the various manuals and papers that you received at the same time as your machine) and note the water consumption data.
A small tap icon indicates a value in litres. This is the average amount of water your machine uses for one wash cycle.