Tumble Dryer vs Radiators

furndire

buxtonrabbitgreen wrote:

I also bought a washer dryer as my kitchen is so small. Like the other poster said it runs too hot creases everything but still takes 90 mins to dry a full load. I think part of the problem is the very fast spin speed (for the creasing) Also I have a prepayment meter for electricity and I know it costs £2 for a 90 min load. But when you have changed all the beds and one child finally decides to tidy thier room, it is impossible to keep up with washing stuck on radiators. I do mostly dry (in the winter) on an airing horse in front of my bedroom radiator but it is making the room smell very musty, so despite the expense I think i will have to use the dryer more.

A tumble on its own if you have room for one is far more efficient than washer/dryers, My son and daughter-in-law have one, and they are horrendously expensive and inefficient to use. I certainly wouldn't want to have to give house room to a washer/dryer, but as I said previously wouldn't be without stand alone dryer.

I do mostly dry (in the winter) on an airing horse in front of my bedroom radiator but it is making the room smell very musty, so despite the expense I think i will have to use the dryer more

You are putting an awful lot of water into the air (it has to go somewhere, your bedding, and carpet & curtains.)in your bedroom, watch out when the weather starts to warm up, as you will probably end up with mould spores, and they are definatley not good for your health.

Lizbetty

I'm trying not to use my condenser dryer too much because of the cost to run, too - we're expecting another baby in two weeks though, and I have an 18month old already, so I'm guessing at some point soon the washing will become mountainous and I'll probably give in...

I tend to use a clothes airer and have a dehumidifier in the same room, I keep the doors open upstairs. It's good as it extracts the cold air and blows out warmer air, so I put the stuff I need drying quickest near to the bit where it's blowing out air if I need to (sorry that's not very technical - it's this pregnancy lark!).

I do worry about damp as it's not a new house, and usually I put a couple of loads on the airer and they're fully dry within 2 days max, in the worst weather, a day if it's warmer or if we have the heating on more if it's very cold, iyswim.

I read somewhere that putting a couple of dry towels in with your damp washing reduces the drying time too, which I do sometimes if I do use the tumble dryer (watch out for fluff on your black stuff though!). I also run the spin cycle a couple of times before I take the washing out as another poster has suggested.

I know using a dehumidifier's not very old stylie, but it's been a great investment for us!

Hth, Lucy

pault123

When I moved into my new house I had a tumble dryer, used it once and watched the electric metre spin round at a ridiculous rate! Sold it in Loot.

Now dry my clothes on hangers above radiators, and the rest on a maiden. All in the back bedroom with the heating on the minumum setting overnight. This costs pennies. I notice no damp in the air in fact the room is usually very dry due to the heat.

So if possible try to dry on maidens and above the radiator, its when you cover the radiator with wet towels and clothes where I find crispy drying and damp rooms.
(also use softener in the washer) :T

thriftmonster

I have a condenser drier in the garage which I try to use as little as possible but it is an ever present help in winter. Today is sunny so I have clothes on the line but they will need finishing on the radiators (sweaters) otr in the TD. I hadn't noticed our electric going up hugely when we got it - maybe about £5 a month max.

I only dry on the radiators in the hall and on the landings to stop the sittingroom getting too damp.

Ches

jacksons_mum wrote: »

ive just got a new dryer off MIL for christmas and i dont understand it! it isnt a condenser as it doesnt collect the water but there is no hole to put a hose anywhere. apparently the air just comes out of the door but this is making my kitchen really wet, the window gets full of condensation and even the tiles get wet. the only solution i can think of is to open the window every time i use it but that lets all the heat out and means i cant have the dryer on when im out or in bed. any suggestions anyone?

I had one of these once and found it a real nuisance for exactly the reasons you describe. In the end I used to pull it so it faced the opened back door (luckily this was in a lobby) and shut it in there until the stuff was dry. Would be better in a garage but we didn't have one at the time.

I use my TD all the year round for everything. I can't stand wet washing hanging around the house and I won't hang washing in the garden as it goes hard in the summer and anyway the garden is full of frogs and I hate them. I have my current TD in the garage and am on economy 7 tariff so we always use off peak electric to wash and dry clothes. I put the washing on before I go to bed and its always late so is in the cheap rate and my OH is always up early so takes the washing out of the WM and puts it into the TD still in the cheap rate. I am currently paying £58 per month combined electric and gas so I think thats OK for us.

D&DD

I got one of those plug in check the cost of electric things from Lidls after an MSE'r spotted them last xmas just tried it on the tumbly drier yesterday..
Ours is a cheapo White Knight drier from Argos and a C rating cost for a towel load on low for 1hr 30mins was 16.24p I didn't think that was bad at all I only use ours for linen and starting off Jeans when I can't line dry
(I'm with Powergen )

anguk

I don't understand how you can dry all your clothes in the tumbler? I'll do towels & undies in mine when they can't go outside but the vast majority of our clothes have the "do not tumble" logo on the washing label.

rev229

I have a condenser dryer under the stairs and really only use it now to finish off drying the towels. Everything is either outside or on airers in the conservatory. I hang shirts and other hanger bits on a rail in the understairs cupboard and duvet covers on the banisters and some bit in the airing cupboard. The kids have enough clothes so can wait for things to dry!! The heating theramastat is on 18 with sellotape stuck to it so it can't be adjusted by little fingers! so it only comes on for a hour in the morning the rest of the time it will be socks and jumpers and blankets to keep warm. As kids we had no heating and no tumble dryer and we all managed. So far my payments for fuel has reduced by 10.00 a month so must be doing somethin right. Although if you have little kids a tumble drier is very necessary as is heating.

tranquil_2

furndire wrote: »

You are putting an awful lot of water into the air (it has to go somewhere, your bedding, and carpet & curtains.)in your bedroom, watch out when the weather starts to warm up, as you will probably end up with mould spores, and they are definatley not good for your health.

Sorry for sounding dim but what are mould spores, why are they bad for your health, what causes them and how do you get rid of them?

We're in a rented flat and have lots of tiny black spots in the bedroom, all along the window wall. They look abit like a cloud along the bottom of the wall. I do open a window in the morning to air the room and just put damp laundry in there when I need to hide it. Are these mould spores?

Should I be worried? Thanks for help and sorry if this has already been covered.

beemuzed

I believe the mould spores are caused by dampness in the air and I know damp aggravates my asthma. I think the black spots you describe are damp related. Used to have them in our old house - wiped them with a bleqch solutio to get rid of them - but that's not dealing with the damp, just removing the black spots.
Our TD is a condenser model, so needs to have the water trap emptied periodically - but no damp indoors and no trailinh hoses either. Afraid I do use it regularly in winter as I'm never in to put washing on the line and take in in daylight and too many things to dry on the radiator, apart from those things marked as non-tumble dry.