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Washing up has always been one of the least popular domestic tasks. It is no surprise that the first references to dishwashing appliances date back to the mid-nineteenth century. The first manual dishwashers are long gone and now, this electrical appliance is widely used, cheaper and more modern. In fact, official data shows that a quarter of Spanish homes have one. This gesture, enables you to save water.

The highest energy consumption in a dishwasher - around 90% - is incurred during the process of heating the water it uses to wash the dishes. In order to reduce this, manufacturers are developing models which select the water temperature and have economic programmes which enable you to reuse the heat from washing to rinse or dry the plates, making it unnecessary to consume further energy.

In order to be clear, as with other electrical appliances, there is a labelling system which classifies dishwashers from A to G depending on their energy efficiency. They take into account the efficiency of the washing and drying, and water and energy consumption per place setting in order to determine the classification and this is very useful.

Bithermal dishwashers

Among the technological innovations, bithermal dishwashers are now available on the market, which have two independent water inlets. That way, the appliance takes the hot water from the hot water tap, heated by the heater, boiler, or solar energy storage heater, and the dishwasher does not have to consume energy heating it. This saves energy and reduces the washing time by 25%.

Size does matter

You can save energy using a type A dishwasher which incorporates technological innovations, but you also need to consider the size. The most recommendable thing to do is to use the dishwasher when it is full, as such if you live alone it would be better to go for a compact model. That way, you will fill it up sooner and can use it more efficiently. If you cannot wait any longer and you need clean dishes, use a short and economical programme.

Do not leave for the dishwasher what you can do yourself

Dishwashers are becoming increasingly powerful, but this power is not always enough and, if your dishes are very dirty, it is worth rinsing them beforehand. The best thing to do in these cases, is to use cold water so that extra energy is not consumed. For the same reason, it is also preferable to use programmes at low temperatures or even cold water in the dishwasher.

Maintenance

Good dishwasher maintenance can help it to be more efficient. Clean the filter frequently and check the rinsing agent and salt levels. Keeping both compartments full reduces the energy consumed in the washing and drying phases.

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