When You Run Your Dishwasher Matters More Than You Think

What's the best time of day to wash dishes? If you've never asked yourself that question before, you might want to. The answer could save you money and keep your home safer. If you're using your dishwasher off-peak hours, you will save money on electricity. That means if you run it late at night or early in the morning, it's going to be less expensive to clean your dishes. So it seems like running your dishwasher while you're sleeping might be the best idea; you can put all the day's dishes in and have them shiny and clean the next morning when you wake up. Except, what happens if something goes wrong with the dishwasher while you're asleep?

Most people don't think of the dishwasher as a dangerous appliance to leave running. Obviously you wouldn't leave your stove on overnight, but the dishwasher seems like it would take care of itself. You set it, it runs a cycle, and then stops, but that's only when things are working properly. Like any machine, as your dishwasher gets older, it can suffer some wear and tear and malfunction, leading to potentially devastating accidents.

The best time to run your dishwasher is off-peak hours but while you are still awake. That way, you can monitor the situation just in case anything goes wrong. That means knowing what peak hours are in your area, which will vary depending on your utility or grid, so you'll need to do a little research.

In Texas, peak electricity hours are weekdays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. In California, it's 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. That means you're paying the most to use your dishwasher during those times. There is also a seasonal peak that will take effect during the hot summer months, and that could start earlier in the day. Typically, however, off-peak hours are after 9 p.m. all the way through to about noon the next day. Any appliances you run during those hours, like the dishwasher, will cost you a little less on your energy bill overall.

Most dishwashers have a delay feature, so you don't actually need to start it manually every time. You could program it to begin at the same time your alarm goes off in the morning so it runs while you're getting your day started. To maximize your energy efficiency and savings, make sure you've only set it to run when it's completely full.

The urge to let it run overnight is pretty tempting. Most dishwasher manufacturers recommend running it during off-peak hours to save energy. But, for the sake of safety, try to adjust those hours so that it's done before you get into bed. You can still save money, but you'll have the peace of mind that if something goes wrong, you'll be able to handle it and keep your family safer.