Improvement Direct Ideas is a series of webisodes brought to you by the Improvement Direct Network of Stores. These videos are designed to show you how to beautify your home and add value to it in the process.
In this episode of Improvement Direct Ideas, we install an eco-friendly dishwasher. Our host, Andrew, will talk to Brian, an appliance expert at KitchenDirect.com, to discover what qualities in a dishwasher make it eco-friendly, or green. Also, we’ll meet Stephanie, a homeowner interested in remodeling her kitchen with new products, while taking care to preserve the environment.
Stephanie’s old dishwasher was in disarray. It was too noisy, and the buttons on the display panel periodically flashed, which was both puzzling and frustrating. Most importantly, though, the old dishwasher was not ENERGY STAR-rated, meaning it used more water and energy than many other available units – which means – Stephanie was spending too much money. What she really wanted was a dishwasher that could do a better job in washing dishes, while maintaining her overall goal of remodeling her kitchen with eco-friendly appliances and fixtures.
In her research, Stephanie went to the ENERGY STAR Web site, where she found information on eco-friendly dishwashers. When choosing a product for her home, she found that Bosch goes far beyond the government’s standards for energy conservation in a dishwasher. In addition, these very reliable units are available at KitchenDirect.com and ImprovementDirect.com.
Here’s a quick tip: Energy-efficient dishwashers use less than five gallons per cycle. The amount of water used is actually less than hand-washing the dishes.
Brian, an appliance expert at KitchenDirect.com, stopped by to answer a few dishwasher questions:
Q: What determines if a dishwasher is actually eco-friendly?
A: Look for the ENERGY STAR logo. Each eco-friendly appliance at KitchenDirect.com clearly displays this logo. That way, it’s easy for you to find the most efficient, affordable and money-saving appliance for you and your home.
Q: What’s the difference between EcoSense and EcoAction?
A: EcoSense detects the soil level in the wash water and can cancel future water fills, potentially saving energy by up to 20 percent. EcoAction adjusts cycle time and temperature to save energy by up to 25 percent during a standard cycle.
Back To TopEcoSense and EcoAction are both featured on many of the Bosch dishwashers carried by KitchenDirect.com.
The project of replacing an old dishwasher with a new, eco-friendly one depends on the model, but expect to pay from $800 to $1,500. This is middle-of-the-road on the difficulty scale, and should take about one hour to complete.
Getting To Work
Before you do any work, unplug the dishwasher or turn off the circuit breaker and disconnect the power. Turn off the water supply valve, which is usually located under the sink. Or, turn off the main house shut-off and drain the supply pipe by opening the faucet.
Position the dishwasher near its opening, and push the hose, supply tube and power cord through holes drilled in the back corner of the sink-base cabinet. As you walk the dishwasher into place, be careful not to pinch or tangle these connectors.
After installing the dishwasher, adjust its front feet to level the appliance and align it with the cabinets and countertop. Angle the unit onto the underside of the counter with the screws provided.
Back To TopIn addition to the new dishwasher in her eco-friendly kitchen, Stephanie also replaced her kitchen faucet and garbage disposal. For more ideas on how to make your house a home, visit ImprovementDirect.com.
