Laundry: Line-Drying Clothes
Cost – $15 – 50
for indoor, $80 – 200 for outdoor
Savings – $50 -125 per
year[1]
Installation time – None for indoor racks, 1 hr. for
outdoor lines or racks requiring concrete base
Materials/Tools Needed – Drying rack or clothes line
Maintenance – None
A clothes dryer
is typically the second-biggest electricity-using appliance in the home (after
the refrigerator). Most dryers
operate using a 240v outlet.
Instructions Indoors
1. Use existing
shower or laundry room rods to hang clothes on hangers or clip hangers (jeans
or pants), or add a retractable clothes line.
2. Fold-away racks take
little space and dry a large amount of laundry.
Instructions Outdoors
1. Traditional
lines between T-posts, umbrella style or retractable lines.
2. Great fresh,
outdoors smell without dryer sheets, chemicals or cost.
3. Before installing, check that city
codes or HOA rules do not regulate outdoor drying..
Tips
Even
if you canŐt give up the dryer, there are ways to greatly reduce its cost:
á Remove lint from the filter before
every use. This improves airflow
and allows the dryer to operate more efficiently. ItŐs also a good safety practice.
á Use the cooler permanent-press
cycle. Clothes will last longer and
look better too.
á Use the dryerŐs moisture
sensor. A dryer will shut off
automatically when laundry is dry.
á Dry similar types of loads
together. Light-weight
materials will dry in less time than heavy items like jeans or towels.
á Sequence loads to use residual
heat. Dry lighter loads first, then
heavier loads; the heavy load will use the left-over
heat to dry faster and with less energy.
á Allow heavy materials to go
through an extra spin cycle or to partially air-dry before placing in the
dryer. Use a very short dryer cycle
to complete drying, smooth wrinkles and/or fluff towels.
á DonŐt over-fill or under-fill the
dryer. Over-filling prevents
laundry from tumbling and reduces airflow; under-filling uses the same amount
of energy as a regular load.
á If you use dryer sheets,
thoroughly clean the lint filter once a month. Use a toothbrush to remove residue that
can limit airflow.