Crazy Electricity Units

Magentasue

Fire_Fox wrote: »

We use about 10 KWH per day in summer - two people in a two bed flat who are pretty careful with electricity.

I think that's on the high side. We're a family of six averaging 13kwh a day summer. On those rare days when it's just the two of us, it's more like 7 or 8kwh with washing machine and dishwasher.

I have mentioned this to my little ones (aged 15-23) and they just do that 'is my face bovvered?' look so have given up.

moonrakerz

Rian1988 wrote: »

Even better can you not hand wash? We manage fine but there is only 2 of us, I just find it a lot easier to hand wash rather than use the dishwasher.

A dish washer is actually much more economical and "green" than doing it by hand !

gull5426

we use 40-50 units per week.
there are only 2 of us

Vestra

moonrakerz wrote: »

A dish washer is actually much more economical and "green" than doing it by hand !

Out of interest how is that? I have heard it before but I thought it would be a lot better as it uses no electric, water is free and the hot water has already been heated.

Magentasue

I think the pro-dishwasher argument assumes you change the water frequently, use very hot water for washing and rinsing and have a big washing up bowl.

As there are six of us, I don't think a dishwasher is a lot more expensive than washing up by hand but it's not practical for me. I have one four foot worktop and two cupboards (the house is a renovation project. For a family of four or smaller, I think dishwashing would work out more expensive but, of course, people are willing to pay for the convenience. Another factor is what you eat - I do a lot of 'Old Style' cooking and baking. People who use a lot of convenience foods will generate less washing up.

Fire_Fox

Magentasue wrote: »

I think that's on the high side. We're a family of six averaging 13kwh a day summer. On those rare days when it's just the two of us, it's more like 7 or 8kwh with washing machine and dishwasher.

I have mentioned this to my little ones (aged 15-23) and they just do that 'is my face bovvered?' look so have given up.

Do you have gas? We cook and produce our hot water with electricity. I was averaging 7.5KWH per day when I lived alone and mainly showered at the gym. Now the TV is on a fair bit and we are using the oven more it's higher. The killer is fourteen halogen spotlights I think - there doesn't seem to be a viable alternative for 50W MR16 lamps! :mad:

moonrakerz

Rian1988 wrote: »

Out of interest how is that? I have heard it before but I thought it would be a lot better as it uses no electric, water is free and the hot water has already been heated.

Your water is free is it ? I have to pay for mine - and of course I pay sewerage charges when it goes down the plug hole.
Was your free water also heated for free ? and allowed to cool down in the tank, then heated up again, then lose heat in the piping to the sink.

Study by University of Bonn:
"The Bonn study proves that the dishwasher uses only half the energy and one-sixth of the water, less soap too. Even the most sparing and careful washers could not beat the modern dishwasher...............
.. the average household will do two or three hand washes a day using 60 litresof water while a new dishwasher typically uses 12 litres per wash."

Note the study says 60L per DAY and 12L per WASH - use a dishwasher every 3 days and your washing up water consumption drops from 180L to 12L !

The major problem with washing by hand is that it tends to get done in lots of little bits. Each time this consumes water, energy and detergent. People don't like keeping dirty dishes piled up on the side until they have enough for a good wash-up.
With a dishwasher you store all the dirty stuff in there - out of sight - until you have a load.
Then it is washed properly, probably at a higher temperature than you could do it by hand - so it is cleaner. Plus, you don't have to use tea towels to dry it, which need washing themselves and thus add even more to the cost of hand washing.

magentasue is correct when she says to some extent it depends on your style of eating. If you are doing a lot of "old style" cooking; big mixing bowls, saucepans and trays don't relly lend themselves to dishwashing - BUT - convenience foods certainly do - dirty plates, bowls and cutlery, just what a dishwasher loves !

Magentasue

moonrakerz wrote: »

..........
.. the average household will do two or three hand washes a day using 60 litresof water while a new dishwasher typically uses 12 litres per wash."

I'd dispute the idea of 60 litres water for washing up by hand but think that there's a lot to be said for a dishwasher, even if it isn't really moneysaving. I do wash up - as you say it's not economical to load a dishwasher with pans etc and with us lot, the dishwasher would be going non stop if I put everything in it.

Magentasue

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Do you have gas? We cook and produce our hot water with electricity. I was averaging 7.5KWH per day when I lived alone and mainly showered at the gym. Now the TV is on a fair bit and we are using the oven more it's higher. The killer is fourteen halogen spotlights I think - there doesn't seem to be a viable alternative for 50W MR16 lamps! :mad:

Yes, I have gas but there seem to be plenty of people who use single figure kwh in the summer if there's only two people in the house. Even we can do it if the kids are out using washing machine and dishwasher! I do have some spotlights but don't use them much - the rooms they're in have lamps for 'long term' use. Had them in previous house, wouldn't have them now I know better.

moonrakerz

Magentasue wrote: »

I'd dispute the idea of 60 litres water for washing up by hand

A bowl full, plus a lot of people now rinse, plus the cold water you run off first from the pipes - the figures came from a university study - not me !
The 60 L is for several lots of washing up; breakfast, lunch, dinner, odds & sods ?