The average American household does about 300 loads of laundry each year. All of these clothes must be dried, but the energy costs can really pile up. Air drying is free, but it's not always practical. For convenience, you often have to use a clothes dryer.
Electric and natural gas dryers are available. Essentially, all dryers work the same way; they tumble dry clothes with heated air to remove moisture. The major difference is that electric dryers use heating coils to supply heat, while gas models use a burner. So, which is less expensive?
Comparing costs
Natural gas dryers may cost a little more to purchase, but they typically cost less than half to operate than electric units. Let's do the math.
A typical electric dryer uses about 55 kilowatt-hours (kWh) a month. At the most recent national average rate for electricity of 16 cents per kWh, an electric appliance would cost about $8.80 a month or $105 a year to operate (55 kWh/mth x $0.16/kWh = $8.80).
Gas dryers, on the other hand, typically use about 4 kWh of electricity a month and 3.2 hundred cubic feet (ccf) of natural gas. At the most recent national average prices for electricity and natural gas ($1.56 per ccf), a gas dryer would cost about $4.42 a month or $53 a year to operate (4 kWh/mth x $0.16/kWh + 3.2 ccf/mth x $1.18/ccf = $0.64 + $3.78 = $4.42/month).
So, according to these estimates, an electric clothes dryer would cost a typical household $105 a year to operate, while a natural gas unit would cost only $53 a year, a nearly 50% savings. Cost and savings can vary depending on energy rates, but gas dryers typically cost less to operate.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that "if you have the option, consider using a gas dryer to save money and reduce your environmental impact."
Gas dryers do come with extra installation costs to consider. An extra gas pipeline and hookup installed by a qualified professional may be necessary. Gas convenience outlets provide a simple and lower-cost option for "plugging into" natural gas.
Most dryers terminate the drying cycle based on a set amount of time. Some dryer models today offer automatic termination by sensing the actual moisture remaining in the clothes or a change in exhaust temperature, which prevents wasteful over-drying that can also damage textiles.
Whichever type of model you choose, make sure it's ENERGY STAR®-certified. ENERGY STAR clothes dryers use less energy than standard models. Pensacola Energy offers a $200 rebate when you add a new natural gas dryer to your home. For details, visit PensacolaEnergy.com or all 850-436-5050.