Can anyone explain how cold fill only washing machines are more eco friendly?

markie1980

I think it all depends on the individual situation.
eg, if the washing machine is a long way from the boiler/hot water tank, the washing machine would of filled up with the cold water sitting in the pipe before the hot water got there, meaning you've just heated up the water in the pipe for no reason and the machine still has to heat the water.

TomsMom

Bronnie wrote: »

I had a hot and cold fill machine in a house with an oldish combi boiler.We used the washer on cold-fill only as I was worried how long the combi boiler was going to keep going and felt that the constant on/off demands for bursts of hot water for the washer might knacker the combi boiler sooner rather than later.

I've been using mine (hot and cold fill) off my combi boiler for about 14 years and no problems. A combi boiler is built for on/off demands.

richardw

Not sure what volume of hot water a washing machine actually uses, especially at 40 or 50, the manufacturers probably decided not to bother because it is simpler to heat the water, so perhaps there are some reliability benefits to cold water only machines.
Which magazine did a test recently of washing detergents and some do work very well at low temperatures, perhaps worth a look when you are going past the library.

Inactive

Cold fill only Washing Machines have been the norm in other parts of Europe for years, I would suspect that it is just part of a standardisation to reduce manufacturing costs.

CKdesigner

Hi All,

All european hot and cold fill machines have only ever taken in hot water when washing over 60 degrees. So even if you have both feeds it will only take in cold at 40 or 50 anyway!

The main reason why machines are cold fill only and that better quality machines have only ever been cold fill is that detergents have different cleaning agents in them that are activated at different temperatures, so starting with cold water means all the different cleaning stages of the detergent are achieved, therefore a better wash quality.

thescouselander

The trouble in our house is that it takes a long time for the hot water from the tank to get to the tap down stairs - you need to run the hot tap for a good while before hot water actually comes out.

Our new washing machine uses very little water so even if it did have hot fill I doubt it would ever take any hot water in anyway.

frogglet

I have always had cold fill machines and have used them in different parts of the world. I have found that how clean my washing comes out depends on other things than washing at a low temperature, such as
How full the washing machine is loaded especially if washing heavy items such as jeans.
If clothes are very dirty don't put too much in the machine.
Hard water.
Type of washing powder, this I find makes a huge difference, cheap washing powder is crap.

I use Ariel on a 40 wash and don't have a problem, my sons rugby stuff is put in on its own and it comes out perfectly clean.