If you’ve been in the market for a new clothes dryer, you may have noticed that they don’t necessarily carry an EnergyGuide label. And if you’ve checked the Energy Star Web site, there’s not much information available on clothes dryers. So what’s the scoop?
According to the Consumer Energy Center, that’s because there really isn’t much difference in energy use between most models of dryers. That’s why there are no Energy Star labels available for dryers, except for those that are stackable and sold as washer/dryer sets.
Newer units are not considerably more energy efficient than older units, so experts at American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) suggest that if your current dryer is running fine, there’s really no energy-saving incentive to replace it now.
But what if your dryer isn’t working so great? Consumer Reports, in their Repair or Replace Guide, suggests that if your dryer is less than 5 years old, repair it. If it’s 5-7 years old, consider replacing it. If it’s 8+ years old, replace the unit. (One source says that dryers have an average life expectancy of 12-13 years, while another says they can easily run 18 or more years.)
Whether your dryer is old or new, be aware that it potentially a large energy using appliance, right behind your refrigerator. Over a lifetime of 18 years, the average clothes dryer will cost about $1,530 to operate.
There are some ways you can save money by how you use your dryer:
- The washing machine you use is important. Newer models spin more water out of the clothing so your dryer doesn’t have to work so long and hard. If given an option between replacing the washer or dryer, opt for a new, energy-efficient washing machine.
- Don’t use your dryer any more than you have to. Hang up some items (rags, sheets, old T-shirts) on either an indoor or outdoor clothes line. In the winter, you’ll gain the advantage of adding moisture to the dry air in your home. In summer, you’ll gain the fresh outdoor smell that outdoor-dried laundry has.
- Add an energy-saving dryer vent to keep cold air from entering your home through your outdoor vent opening in winter (and the reverse in the summer; then it keeps hot air from entering your home).
- Clean the lint filter after every load to improve air circulation. Regularly clean the lint from your piping and vent hoods, also.
- It’s more economical to dry only full loads (but don’t overload!) and to dry two or more loads in a row so that the dryer doesn’t cool down between loads. In the same vein, separate dryer loads into similar-weight clothing so that all items will get dry at about the same time.
- An automatic cycle (moisture sensor) is more efficient than drying using a timed cycle setting.
- Use the cool-down cycle (perma-press) to allow drying to continue even after the heat is turned off. This cycle uses residual heat from the drying cycle.
What the future holds for dryers
- The Consumer Energy Center says that engineers are working to develop dryers that use microwaves to dry clothes. One potential problem to overcome is that metal rivets and metal zippers don’t microwave well.
- By 2011, new standards will be available for clothes dryers so manufacturers will be required to make them more energy efficient.
- Some manufacturers, such as Whirlpool, are experimenting with Smart Grid Technology for dryers and other appliances. This technology would allow dryers to react to a peak period signal from a utility as an energy-saving measure.