Cost of running a washing machine

[jackiebowes]

How can I find out how much it costs to run the washing machine for a 'typical' load, i.e. cost of detergent, softener, water, electricity.

Thanks.

[brachiopod]

Detergent - work out how many scoops are in the box of washing powder, (most of them say something along the lines of "This box contains enough detrergent for X washes") and divide the cost of the detergent by the number of washes it contains. This will give you the cost per wash.

Softener - Ditto.

Water - depends if you are metered or not. I have never seen a metered water bill, so I don't know if you are charged per litre, hectolitres,  kilolitre or whatever.
Whichever it is, there will be some sort of unit charge. You need to work out what this is in what will be fractions of pence per litre, and multiply it buy the water consumption of your machine's average wash cycle. An indication of this may be in the instruction booklet or on a sticker on the machine. You could also measure the waste water pumped out of the machine and allow for a bit that is absorbed by the wet clothes.
If you are not metered, then I suppose you could work out the cost per hour of the annual standing charge, and multiply by however long your wash cycle lasts.

Remeber too, you pay for sewerage costs as part of your water rates, so this will have to be factored into the cost aswell (Your waste water has to go somewhere.)

[cont.]

[brachiopod]

[cont.]

Electricity - This will vary according to temperature settings etc. but you could estimate it based on the machine's power rating (again on a sticker on the machine or in the instruction booklet) shown in KiloWatts (KW) and multiply this by the length of time of your wash 'average' cycle to give a value in KiloWatt Hours (KWh). This is the 'unit' that you are charged for on you electricity bill, so multiply this figure by the cost of a unit as shown on your bill. Don't forget to add VAT.

You could actually measure the electricity consumption by switching off every single electric appliance in the house (TV's on standby, electric clocks, lights etc.) Check that nothing is using electricity by checking the little dial on your electricity meter is not going round.

Next, note the exact reading on the meter. Start your washing machine and let it complete the cycle (do not turn anything else on in the meantime) once finished, note the new reading, and subtract the first (initial) reading from this. You will now have the washing machines consumption in KWh - work out the cost as described above.

 

You should really factor in the cost of the washing machine aswell, based on an estimate of its life expectancy, any repairs in its lifetime and what you initially paid for it. So;

Cost of Machine + Estimated cost of repairs  = cost per
Estimated life expectancy in years x 365            day

This 'cost per day' of owning your washing machine should be added to the cost of a cycle based on the average number of washes you do per day.
So if you only do one wash a week, then 7 x the 'cost per day of owning the machine' will be added to your washing cycle cost.

[Ward-Minter]

About 72 pence