During the winter months, most people see a spike in their electric bills. Given inflation, this year’s increase in electric bills is likely to be especially concerning for some. You may not realize it, but using a wash and fold service can be a great way to offset some of the increased heating costs.
Before you do a search for “wash and fold near me”, keep reading to learn more about how these services can help you lower your electric bills in the winter.
How Wash and Fold Laundry Helps
Yes, you will pay more than the cost-per-load for wash and fold laundry services. But you aren’t just paying for the electricity. You are also paying for the water, the detergent, and the convenience. If you wash your clothes with hot water, that’s another factor you’re paying for.
It Keeps Energy Bills Down
Even if you just do a load or two of laundry a week, having a local laundry service wash your clothes will reduce your energy bills. That can help you stick to your budget for utilities.
You Know What You’re Paying
Doing an internet search for “wash and fold laundry service near me” gives you more predictable pricing than washing your clothes yourself. Energy bills can vary greatly, and with inflation underway, you may be surprised by price increases.
But a reputable laundry wash and fold service will list its prices online and give you an estimate when you place your order.
This gives you the important benefit of predictability. You won’t need to wonder how much doing laundry will increase your electric bill, as it won’t change it at all. And you will know what you will spend on your laundry service.
Why Your Electric Bill Increases in the Winter
Before getting into how a drop off laundry service can help you lower your electric bill, it may help to know why your electric bill gets so high in the winter. It almost all comes down to your heating system.
Your Heating System Works Harder
Your HVAC system uses more energy in the winter as it needs to work harder to keep your home at a warm enough temperature. As it gets colder out, the system has to work twice as hard to maintain your preferred temperature. That’s even if you keep it set to the same temperature you did a few months ago.
What if you have a gas heating system? Well, the fan still needs electricity to run. Otherwise, the warm air won’t be distributed.
You Use More Hot Water
Your increased use of heating doesn’t just apply to your HVAC system; it also applies to the water. Between hot showers and drinking hot beverages, you are likely using more hot water than you do at other times of the year. All of that water has to be heated using electricity.
You’re Home More
While not always the case, most people tend to spend more time at home during the winter. After all, you won’t be going for as many walks or picnics outside. As a result, you end up consuming more electricity.
You Run Space Heaters and Electric Blankets
If you like to be cozy during the winter, you may have an electric blanket or a space heater. Each of those will increase your electric bill more.
How Much Does Laundry Contribute to the Electric Bill?
Estimates vary based on energy prices and the machine you have. But you can expect to pay about $0.20 or so cents per load to wash and about $0.40 to dry. That may not seem like a lot, but it does add up. That’s especially true if you live alone and tend to do small loads of laundry.
At these rates and with the effort it takes to wash and dry laundry, it might be a better idea to get wash and fold laundry services.
Tips to Reduce Energy Costs When Washing Clothes at Home
Maybe you want to combine doing laundry at home and using a wash and fold service. Or maybe you just need to do the occasional load of laundry at home if you didn’t plan ahead and need a certain shirt the next day. ,
In either case, there are a few things you can do to reduce your electric bill.
Stick to Cold Water
A great deal of the cost of doing laundry comes from heating water. So, if your wash your items with cold water, you’ll save money compared to using hot water. Just be sure to read clothing tags to confirm items can be washed in cold water.
Do a Full Load
While a half-load will use less water than a full one, it will use just as much electricity. As such, always doing full loads of laundry uses less electricity by reducing the number of loads you do overall.
Of course, this can be a significant challenge for some people, especially those who go through less laundry, making wash and fold laundry services more appealing.
Care for Your Machine
When your washing machine is well-maintained, it will last longer. That delays the need to replace it and reduces the overall cost-per-load over the lifetime of the machine. Of course, caring for your machine will require some upfront investment.
Get an Energy-Efficient Machine
You could also swap out your current washing machine and dryer for more energy-efficient machines. Buying a new washer and dryer could cost you a lot more initially. Given that initial price, most people find it much easier to budget for wash and fold laundry delivery.
Reduce Your Electric Bills with a Wash and Fold Laundry Drop Off Service
A simple way to reduce your electric bills is to do less laundry at home. Instead, do a quick online search for “wash and fold near me” and let them worry about your laundry. As a bonus, you’ll also get the convenience of not having to do laundry and won’t have to pay to buy and maintain a washer and dryer.
Sources:
https://midwestrec.com/why-my-electric-bill-so-high-winter
https://www.mistersparkytulsa.com/higher-electricity-bill/
https://www.thespruce.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-run-an-electric-dryer-1387954
https://ecocostsavings.com/cost-of-running-a-washing-machine/
