Electric washing machine

Standard convenience appliance; adds an AC or DC electrical load. Its inlet valve is designed for a pressurised supply, so it needs either a mains connection or an on-site pump upstream. A gravity feed alone will not fill it reliably.

Cost
Medium
Upkeep
Occasional
Skill to build
Basic
Lifespan
10-13 years typical for a residential washing machine
Embodied carbon
Medium
Space / material use
Low
Output timing
On-demand/controllable
Skill to repair
Intermediate

Note: Cost, carbon and footprint are rated against the other options for this same need, not in absolute terms.

Inputs

Outputs

Sources

What this page does not tell you

No sizing or quantities: how much a technique yields, and how much a household needs, both depend on the build and the people, so the catalogue compares options rather than dimensioning them. It carries no bill of materials and no build sequence, and it is written for an oceanic, clay-soil climate (Normandy, France). Regulatory notes are indicative and need confirming locally.