How to Make Your Clothes Dryer More Efficient

How To Make Your Dryer More Efficient and the Star Rated Energy Appliance Rebate Program.

The Energy Star program is a government funded program that helps individuals and businesses protect the environment through energy efficiency. It is a mail in rebate program that helps replace old inefficient appliances with new energy star qualified appliances. In order for an appliance to receive this rating they have to be able to save energy and money in the years to come.

The State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate program is also known as the cash for clunkers for appliances. All appliances must be energy star qualified to receive the rebate. So if you don't know already, clothes dryers are not included in the program. Dryers are not efficient enough to be star rated.

There are many reasons why dryers not considered efficient. The main problem is that dryers use a lot of energy. It takes lots of energy to heat, evaporate, and dry water from the clothes inside a dryer.

But there are ways to make sure your dryer is running as efficiently as possible. First of all, make sure vents are properly cleaned. Always clean the lint screen before each use. Not only can lint make the dryer less efficient, but it is also a fire hazard. Never overload your dryer. Another problem is if the vent hose is too long it can take longer and use more energy to dry clothes. You can also run your clothes through the spin cycle a second time. Too much moisture makes the dryer work harder. Make sure the outside vent is not covered by shrubs or plants. You also need to clean the outside duct by moving the grill cover and vacuuming out the duct.

You can also shop around for a more efficient dryer. These are the things to look for when purchasing a more energy saving dryer. You should check the EnerGuide ratings on the dryer. The most efficient will have a rating of 898KWh per year, and the lowest efficient is 950KWh per year. Choose a dryer that shuts off automatically as soon as the clothes are dry. Look for a dryer with a cool down cycle. No heat is applied during the last few minutes, so cool air is blown through the clothes. The drying continues and you save energy. Also buying a compact dryer uses less energy per load than a full size dryer.

Natural gas is an economical alternative to electric dryers. So if you live in an area where purchasing natural gas is lower than electricity, then this may be the best solution for you.

Here are a few tips for using your dryer.

Just remember to never dry anything that had wax or solvents because of the fire hazard.

Clean the filter before every load.

Clean vent to the outside.

Avoid over drying.

Avoid partial loads whenever you can.

Remember the most efficient stand by is hanging out clothes on a clothesline. Hanging out clothes saves our home $40.00 a month on our electricity bill. Well, I hope I have been helpful and enjoy your more efficient laundry day.