Has anyone gone from automatic dishwasher to washing by hand and...

**Michelle** · 07-20-2005, 07:58 AM

...noticed a difference in your water bill?

I'm curious to see if mine will go down next time around since I've been washing by hand for months now.

**Budgetmom** · 07-20-2005, 09:49 AM

Actually, I noticed the exact opposite. About 3 months ago our dishwasher broke. I washed dishes by hand for a month before we replaced it. I thought I would be pleasantly surprised with a reduced water bill for the month. However, it went up. And this was the only difference in our usage. It just went back down again once we installed the new dishwasher a few weeks back. I was very surprised, as I really thought it would go down with hand-washing, but I guess those dishwashers are pretty efficient. Sorry for the news, but wanted to let you know my recent experience with it.

**Mamaw** · 07-20-2005, 12:51 PM

I wonder what the impact is on the electricity bill and if it offsets the decrease in the water bill? But I think it would depend on where you live and the electric and water rates

**MandiDawn** · 07-20-2005, 01:16 PM

When we bought our new dishwasher two years ago, it actually said in the pamplet that it's more water-efficient to use the dishwasher then to hand wash. Now this *might* be proproganda since it *is* printed by the dishwasher maker, but still . . .
As for the electric usage, just make sure to get a good enegry star one if you are planning on buying a new one,.

**Michelle** · 07-20-2005, 01:53 PM

Bummer!

**Seraph** · 07-20-2005, 05:33 PM

I would think that it depends on how you wash when you wash by hand. It's common practice to fill a sink (to some level) with hot soapy water, wash a dish then rinse it under running water. However, before I lived in the apartment I'm in now, I took a page from my great-great-aunt's book and actually did lower my water bill by washing by hand.

She lived way back in the hills of Tennessee, had no indoor plumbing or running water and only reluctantly had electricity (so she could watch her 1 half hour of tv a week -- Hee Haw -- and run the chest freezer big enough for me to live in and have room left over for company! Talk about culture shock!! Every summer I went from city life to living somewhere where I had to use a pee pot or an outhouse!). To wash dishes she would fetch the water from the pump outside, haul it in to heat it on the stove, pour part of the hot water into a dish pan with soap, pour part of the hot water into another dish pan (dishpans sat side by side on the kitchen table -- there was *no* sink), refill the pot and replace on the stove to freshen the dish pans with hot water as needed. Where she heated water from the pump on the stove (she had a wood stove until I was 12) I used the hot water from my faucet and used my double sink instead of dish pans. Fill the sinks only as full as you need them (rarely more than a few inches at most). Wash on one side in soapy water, rinse in the other with clear water, air dry or dry with a towel.

**canadian gardener** · 07-20-2005, 07:09 PM

I did, I used the 2 sink, fill part way on both never letting the water run

and it made no difference.

I'm back with the dishwasher, which I think saves me water. I've measured it's useage, (fill the sink and catch teh water)

and running it once a day on the water and energy saver cycle (light wash, no heat dry)

is a less water than doing by hand twice a day (breakfast and lunch together, dinner after dinner)

and a whole lot less work

so I can use my energy for more money saving tasks.

**Mom23boys** · 07-21-2005, 03:59 PM

I am not really sure if it saves much money. I think it saves on your electricity bill if you set your dishwasher to air dry though. I started washing by hand again because we don't aren't using as many dishes for some reason and didn't want to wait to run the dishwasher. It took us a while to fill it up for a full load. I don't use much water either. I fill the sink up with only what I need, so hopefully it does save.

**favesis37** · 08-02-2005, 09:00 AM

we got rid of our dishwasher, didn't notice much difference if any at all, but i love doing dishes by hand and hated the dishwasher

**Michelle** · 08-02-2005, 09:11 AM

My water bill went up $30 by hand washing. I need to look at the bill more closely though. It could be a combination of higher pricing and the hand washing.

Time to start a new dishwasher fund

**canadian gardener** · 08-02-2005, 08:01 PM

I think it's wise Michelle. When i've had a dw, I can stuff dirty dishes in all day. My kitchen stays clean, and I stay serene.

I've also noticed that without the dw I either suffer with dirty dishes piling up somewhere or I do dishes 3 times a day or more (snacks).

3 X a day is a lot of time I could be doing something else that would save more money (and I think you save more by dishwashing on water and utilities (for heating the water) so

When you think of it, saving TIME THREE TIMES A DAY (adds up!)

Saving ENERGY (yours and some from the hot water tank)

and MONEY (water and hot water heating bill)

it comes up to a practical modern conveniance that actually does what it is supposed to do, free you up.

You can use that time better in more money saving pursuits.

thats my take on it anyway.

**Michelle** · 10-16-2005, 05:24 PM

I got my latest water bill (billed quarterly), and I'm happy to report that my bill decreased by almost 50%

Last quarter my water bill was $156.02, and this quarter it's only $83.34. I am still washing dishes by hand too

However, I am still saving for a dishwasher because I can't stand washing dishes all day

**forestdale** · 10-16-2005, 05:34 PM

that's a great reduction! Congratulations.

**bamamomto4** · 10-16-2005, 08:33 PM

We have a dishwasher,but rarely use it.When we do,I dont notice any difference. Ashley does dishes here

Is that water bill for water only? or is it sewer to?

we have just a water bill,no sewer (we have septic) and our bill is around $25-$30 a month! I would totally flip out with a $80 + water bill!!! We must have cheap water down here lol