Cold Water Laundry Savings Calculator
Heating the water is about 90% of the energy a washing machine uses (ENERGY STAR). With an electric water heater at the 2026 US average price (18.8¢ per kWh), switching from hot to cold saves about $0.16 a load in a front-loader and about $0.49 a load in an older top-loader. At 6 loads a week that's roughly $50.64 to $151.92 a year. Enter your own washer, water heater and price below.
Your laundry setup
Same settings, each washer type
What heating the wash water costs you per year if you keep your current temperature.
| Washer | Hot water per load | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|
| Front-load (HE) | 5 gal | $50.64 |
| Top-load HE (no agitator) | 8 gal | $81.02 |
| Older top-load (agitator) | 15 gal | $151.92 |
Cold water cleans most everyday loads well, especially with a detergent made for it. Hot water still makes sense for heavily soiled work clothes, bedding and towels when someone is sick, or anything whose care label asks for it.
How this calculator works
Heating one gallon of water from about 55°F (typical cold supply) to 120°F (typical water heater setting) takes about 542 BTU. We divide that by your water heater's efficiency: about 0.92 for an electric tank, 0.62 for a gas tank and 3.5 for a heat pump water heater (it moves heat instead of making it). That gives the energy for each gallon of hot water, which we multiply by the hot water in your wash and your energy price.
Warm washes are counted as half hot, half cold water. Rinse water isn't counted because most machines rinse in cold. The gallons per wash are our estimates for each washer type; real machines vary by model and load size, so change the number if you know yours.
Sources
- US average residential electricity price 18.83¢/kWh, April 2026 (EIA data via Newsweek)
- US residential natural gas about $16–20 per thousand cubic feet in spring 2026, roughly $1.60–1.90 per therm (EIA data via Empire Center)
- ENERGY STAR: water heating is about 90% of the energy a clothes washer uses
- Physics: 8.34 BTU heats 1 gallon of water by 1°F; 3,412 BTU = 1 kWh; 100,000 BTU = 1 therm
Figures last checked: October 2026. Prices change often, so every number in this tool can be edited.