How much money do you think you save when you dry your clothes on a rack instead of using the Dryer?

Question

I know every dryer sucks up a differing amount of electricity per use, but how much electricity do you estimate a dryer would use everytime you use it for an hour? I just recently bought a drying rack so that I won't even use my dryer anymore (dryer came with the apt), but after a friend and I discussed how much we thought a dryer consumed, it started me thinking. Any estimates would be great, thanks!

Answer 1

Electric clothes dryers are one of the biggest energy hogs in a house.  This is because they use electricity to create heat, which is generally quite inefficient.  The average electric clothes dryer is rated at 6000 W, or 6 kW. If you multiple that number by the number of hours you run the dryer, you will get the kilowatt hours used.  If you then multiply the kilowatt hours times the cost of electricity per kilowatt hour, you will get the cost of running your dryer.  

For instance, if you use a dryer for 1 hour, you will use 6 kilowatt hours (6 X 1).  If one kilowatt hour costs $.15, the cost of running the dryer for one hour is $.90 (6 x .15). How many loads do you do a week?  How many hours is your dryer running?  How long will it take you to recoup the purchase cost of the clothes drying rack?

Answer 2

I think I use mine too much. It's still only my husband and me (our first child is due in September) and I only do laundry about one day a week and maybe use it twice that day. I hang up my good clothes (and should probably start doing this with my husband's) to prevent shrinking and fading as mentioned in a previous answer. Our washer and dryer came with the house. (My husband is working this year as a student pastor as part of his Master's of Divinity degree. The church let us use the parsonage and is paying all utilities as well, but that doesn't mean I should go utility crazy, of course and I try not to.) One of the first times I used it, two new shirts shrank. I don't know if it was the dryer or me still learning how to use it, figure it out. Eh.

When we go back to school for my husband's senior year, we'll have a townhouse on campus and will have to provide our own washer and dryer, which my husband already found on Craigs List. I don't know how old they are, but if they get us through the school year, that would be great. I also don't know how energy efficient they are. With baby clothes and baby diapers I'll be using it more. (The school pays for water at least.) Much more. I suppose I could at least hang the baby clothes to dry, but that will be with trial and error. I will definately be hanging our clothes more as well.

In our basement now are cords used that I think were put up for clothes drying, if not, then that's what we use them for anyway.

The only problem I have with hang drying is that I have to iron more. Although I guess an iron uses less electricity than a dryer, eh?

Answer 3

that must be different for every family

But it stands to reason if you dont use electricity ,and a dryer uses lots ,but use the wind instead or even in the house on the rack ,over a period of a year it must work out as substancial.

Answer 4

Good question. My electric bill dropped about $20 per month from hang drying my clothes (indoors). Also I switched to energy saver bulbs. My monthly electric bill is now about $40 versus $90

Answer 5

Well it all depends on what your electrical rates are.

For our family, we noticed a $35 drop in the electricity bill when switching completely to drying racks and a clothesline....but then, I was doing between 7-10 loads of laundry a week. There are additional savings as well ~ you won't have to use laundry additives anymore such as whitening agents or fabric softeners, especially if setting the rack up outside.

Many people don't realize the dryer causes clothes to shrink and fade, plus turns elastic waistbands crispy. You'll discover that your clothes look much better and will last much, much longer when dried on a rack. My two college age sons dry most of their clothes on racks for this very reason.

I'm including a link so you can calculate the electrical cost of your dryer.

Answer 6

Dryers use enormous power. Normally a dryer uses 2 Kilo watts of power and if it is run for one hour it consumes 2 units of power. In a month it consumes 60 units and in a year 720 units. Just multiply it by the number of home using the dryer for the number of hours and the power consumed. It will be huge. So much natural fuel such as coal, oil etc are to be used.

Answer 7

lets see i use 2 dollars in quarters to dry up my clothes at the laundromat so yea i would save 2 dollars each time i dry my clothes outside.

Answer 8

Probably costs 15-25c, depending on where you live.    Use a drying rack to get most of the water out, then use the dryer to finish them off if you want them soft instead of stiff as boards.   If you run the dryer every day, the price adds up.   If you're worried about the environment, its a different matter.

Answer 9

when i dry my cloth on rack, i dint used  money at all