Cut Back on Energy Use from Your Dryer

Electric dryers are often among the top energy-uses in a home, right behind refrigerators, lighting and water heaters. Because the average dryer uses 875 killowatt hours of electricity a year, it's a prime target for reducing global warming pollution and saving money on your utility bill.

The best way to cut dryer use is to hang clothes to dry whenever possible, either outdoors or in the home. However, there are other ways to operate a dryer more efficiently that can cut its total energy use:

Type of Dryer

Some dryers have a moisture detection feature that will shut the dryer off after the clothes have dried. However, you should know that the Environmental Protection Agency does not award Energy Star labels to dryers.

Location

A dryer should ideally be in a warm location in the home so less energy is needed to heat the air inside.

Use

Cleaning the lint filter after every cycle is important for keeping hot air moving efficiently through the dryer. Drying full loads will get the most of out of a dryer, but not so full that air is unable to circulate around the clothing. You can also dry two loads in a row to take advantage of retained heat. Using your washer's spin cycle before loading the dryer can also help reduce the amount of moisture in your clothing. The average washer only uses 99 killowatt hours of electricity per year.