Does Hand-Washing Your Dishes Save Energy?

Dishwashers make life much easier by removing most of the time and effort from an everyday chore. However, these appliances do require electricity and can run for hours; are they really the best choice? One myth about saving energy is that it’s better for the environment and your energy bills if you hand-wash your dishes instead. While turning on the sink doesn’t require electricity, it does use significantly more water than running your dishwasher for one cycle. In fact, hand-washing uses approximately 27 gallons of water per load, while energy efficient dishwashers only use between three and four gallons per load. Also, using hot water from your faucet can require more energy from your hot water heater. So, kick back, relax and let the dishwasher do the work for you. You can enjoy the extra time and energy you’ve saved.