Clothes washer efficiency and water standards
Direct final rule effective July 15, 2024 (compliance March 1, 2028); proposed rescission of water-use standards (May 16, 2025) pending.
DOE’s direct final rule of March 15, 2024 adopted amended energy and water standards for residential clothes washers, with compliance from March 1, 2028. On May 16, 2025 DOE proposed rescinding the amended water-use standards, which, if finalized, would return washers to the statutory water factor of not more than 9.5. When we checked, no final rescission had been published.
Short-cycle classes
Separately, on December 27, 2024 DOE confirmed the withdrawal of "short-cycle" product classes for dishwashers, residential clothes washers and consumer clothes dryers, after a court remand.
What to do now
- Replace rubber washer supply hoses with braided ones and check them once a year.
Federal Register documents
- 2024-03-15FR Doc. 2024-04736 · Direct final rule: amended standards for residential clothes washers (compliance March 1, 2028).
- 2024-12-27FR Doc. 2024-30797 · Confirmation of the withdrawal of short-cycle product classes.
- 2025-05-16FR Doc. 2025-08578 · Proposed rule to rescind the amended water-use standards.
A plain-language summary of public documents, not legal or tax advice. Rules in this area have changed several times since 2024; the dates above are the record. Report a change we missed.