Q Is there a way to figure out if it's more cost-efficient to buy a new washer and dryer or keep my current ones that are six years old? Our family of six seems to be always doing laundry. I wonder about reducing the cost of electricity, water and natural gas. Is there a formula to figure out if it would make more sense to invest in the new high-efficiency models that claim savings of 65 and 72 percent?
A Yes. The Energy Star website (www.energystar.gov) has a calculator to estimate the financial and environmental savings possible when replacing a clothes washer. (Click on Products, then Clothes Washers.)
The calculator allows you to plug in the local cost of water, electricity, water heating and clothes drying.
"I would guess it would be cost-effective for you to replace your current washer given the size of your household and your environmental concerns," said energy specialist Phil Smith with the Minnesota Office of Energy Security in St. Paul.
Your savings could even be a little greater than the calculator estimates, he said, because two big costs are not included: waste-water treatment and clothing replacement. (Energy Star washers generally treat apparel more gently, extending fabric life.) Total energy savings of 60 to 70 percent are indeed possible, he added.
Even when buying Energy Star products, be selective. Smith said you'll want a washer with the highest "MEF" and lowest "WF" you can find.
MEF is a "Modified Energy Factor" that takes into account all the direct and indirect energy used in washing and drying clothing. WF, or water factor, is an expression of the amount of water needed per cubic foot of laundry.
A list by manufacturer that permits you to identify the most efficient among all the Energy Star washers available is at www.energystar.gov. (Click on Appliances and navigate to Clothes Washers to view the list.)
