Why put the night washer can leave expensive

Julia Fernández

Zuriñe can't sleep.He gets up to see if with a glass of milk and a little reading manages to fall asleep.It is two in the morning.Almost tiptoe to the kitchen.Take out a cup and stay still.Hey a buzz that misses it until a minute later realizes that he is known.A washing machine.Open the window that gives to the patio of its building, six heights and three doors per plant.It is corrected: there are two."Wow, people are stopped with the light bill," he thinks.And look at his dishwasher.It is full of food and dinner dishes.Take the soap and put it.She also joins the party.

The reform of the electric rates has resulted in a new invoice in which depending on what time we consume light we will pay at one price or another.It affects both the power, which is a fixed and the higher, the more devices we can have convenient at the same time, but the higher it is;Like energy, which is what we pay for every kilowatt time we spend.Both concepts are supposed to be cheaper in valley hours, which are the ones that go at midnight at 7 am from Monday to Friday, just the day we use to rest and sleep, and all weekend.

With these changes, many are, including the organization of consumers and users itself, which recommend families to take advantage of this time section to use those appliances that most consume: plates, washing machines, dishwasher and even, ovens.To do this, in addition, it is not necessary to get up to turn them on at that time, the most modern ones have deferred starting programs and if not, you can always use "a programming clock in the plug", they say from the OCU.You find it in any hardware store.Savings, according to this entity, is interesting: "up to 500 euros per year".

However, we cannot always start centrifuging our washing machine at 1.200 revolutions in valley hours.It is upset for us ... and for our neighbors..From 22 hours and until 8 the noise that can be done both on the street and in a business and in a home is regulated.Although there is some variability depending on the municipality, in general, the limit for daytime is 45 decibels (DBA) and, during the night, between 30 and 35 DBA.And ignoring it can be very expensive: generally up to 3.000 euros of fine, and exceptionally more.

Only Emergencies

Let's first with the theory.The state regulations that deals with these situations is the law of noise, which entered into force in November 2013, although then there is the regional step and, finally, each City Council complements these more general provisions with more particular details throughOrdinances all deal with issues such as works inside and outside households, industrial noises, the inconvenience that causes shops to neighborhood communities, noise pollution of cars and cyclomotor...

Bilbao, for example, is one of the consistories that has a more specific regulation.This is the Environment Ordinance, a 158 -page document that addresses several issues and among them this that is responsible for us.It also does it with great precision and much detail.Not only is the protected schedule talk and what activities can be done and which do not.It also includes a table in which it details the maximum levels of decibels allowed in each context (sanitary, residential, industrial ...) and at every moment of the day.Thus, for example, at night, from ten o'clock at night, you cannot do works at home ... or activities that exceed 25 decibels continuously.And you can only reach 30 at a timely moment.

In Barcelona, for example, the time stop for the use of noisy appliances is nine o'clock at night.And later, at ten, they fix it in Zaragoza or Cuenca or Valencia.Here the Municipal Ordinance of Protection against the noise pollution of the Community details the schedules as follows: «from Sunday to Thursday, from ten to eight;And on Friday, Saturday and Vespers of holidays from ten to nine and a half ».In these sections, "works, repairs and other domestic activities that can be produced by noise and vibrations", the exception of "the strictly necessary for urgency".And putting the washing machine is not urgent.

Centrifuge to 60 decibels

In fact, do you know the noise made by a centrifuge washing machine?The newest models move in a fork between 60 and 72 - and between 46 and 57 during the washing cycle, according to the data of the consumer and users organization (OCU) -.Normally, the quieter they are, the more expensive they are.Usually the centrifugate is a stretch of the washing program that lasts up to ten minutes.And, in addition to noise, you can even cause home vibrations.During the day the inconvenience goes more unnoticed, but at night, with everything in silence, they are able to wake those who have less deep sleep.

Apart from the new or how old our washing machine is, "not all properties have the same soundproofing," says Pablo Abascal, president of the Bizkaia Farm Administrators College.Know what he speaks from experience.And it refers to the fact that we have to keep in mind what the building in which we live is: one of cement is not the same as a wooden or "paper walls"."And then another matter must be taken into account: there are floors that have the kitchen on or under the neighbor's room," says the expert.Above all, those who have been reforms for the most years and where housing has even been segregated.

So you have to think if it compensates to put the most noisy appliances at night or not.Abascal is clear."Those who may notice the benefits of reduced rates are hospitality businesses and businesses," he says.But, in his opinion, "not a family", where there are other behaviors that can be changed to reduce expenses and are less controversial: "The washing machine consumes, but more spends the oven when we make bread".

The administrator appeals to responsibility but also to common sense.Regardless of the neighborhood discomfort, are we going to get up at 3 in the morning to hold clothes when the washing machine ends?Probably not.So when we do, it will have been in the drum for a few hours and it will have wrinkled."The 30 cents you have saved in the washing you are going to spend on the iron ...", slides the professional.