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This is the second in a series of posts about determining if you should replace or repair a broken appliance.
Dishwashers are a great modern convenience-and more efficient than doing dishes the old fashioned way-but, like most things we own, they'll just up and quit working one day, undoubtedly when you least expect it. When your dishwasher goes down, should you fix it or forget it?
This one's a little easier than your refrigerator; if it doesn't have an Energy Star label, it's time to go. Replacing a dishwasher manufactured before 1994 with an Energy Star-qualified machine can save you more than $30 a year in utility costs. Over the the decade or so of its natural life, it's likely that this energy efficient model will nearly pay for itself.The newer, more efficient dishwashers with the friendly Energy Star label are 25 percent more efficient than the minimum federal standards-they use less hot water, have energy-efficient motors, and use sensors to determine the length of the wash cycle, which all help use fewer resources and cut back on your utility bill.
To dig deeper into making your washing greener, check out How to Green Your Dishwasher over at TreeHugger. Happy washing!
Difficulty level: Easy
