How much does tumble drying cost? - and other ways to dry laundry

lilac_lady

I dry my laundry outside if possible and use radiators for larger items and my tumble dryer for smaller ones. Once you take the small items out of your washing the rest becomes managable.

WestonDave

Saver0811 wrote: »

Only 2,000 loads to break even then !

Not the rate electric costs are going up but I take your point!

People tend to think that if they are drying clothes on radiators or airers that's free heat - it isn't! Energy has to be used to change water in the clothes into water vapour for it to dry, so whilst your clothes are drying, your house is getting colder so you end up putting the heating on for longer. (that's why beer festival organisers put wet towels on the barrels on hot days - its not the cold towel itself that cools the beer but the heat energy being drawn from the barrel to evaporate the water) Plus getting all that water into the air promotes condensation, which if not cleared up ends up with mould.

Yolina

Well it's relative I used 7635kwh of gas and 1611 kWh of electricity over the last 12 months and I'm in most of the day. My place (not huge I,ll give you that - about 70 sqm, 2 bedrooms) is a 20-odd year old build with biiiig windows and isn't damp or cold and I do extravagant things such as opening windows :eek: :rotfl:

tanith

Just took my tumble dryer to the recycle centre have had it years and hardly use it, I always dry outside unless its actually raining even in the winter washing will dry if there is a bit of a breeze, if its raining I put socks and pants in the airing cupboard and bigger items on the airer in a room with the windows open..

SpikyHedgehog

daveyjp wrote: »

The cost to run a tumble drier is only an issue if you need to be using one for hour after hour day after day.

We use ours 2-3 times a week (one drier load is two washing machine loads) and it costs no more than £2. Well worth it.

Whereas mine is a mini dryer & takes 2 or 3 dryer loads to dry 1 washing machine load... I've not looked at costs for running it, but would have to take account of the need for me to have the back door open for the hose to go out & the heating goes out the door too ...

Arfa__

Get one of them old fashion airers that you hang from the ceiling on a pulley. We've only got a small house, but managed to fit one to the high ceiling above the stair well, just about room for a small one with 4 wooden bars on it, which is usually enough space for a normal 5Kg load. Dries very quickly, heat rises you see. Far quickly than your usual folding airers. With a dehumidifier underneath you can get two loads done in a day.



Obviously you need to ensure its drilled into some beams above, as it need to carry quite a weight.

HAL9000Incandenza

A new airer would seem to be more economical. I recently downsized to a small flat which has a washer-dryer but although I have tended to use the dryer for shirts as they get creased if you just hang them over a compact-style airer, I am wary of using the dryer for the reasons given (cf. it also damaged a mattress cover which I had to wash - scorch marks all over it there were!). Do feel that a second airer would be a better way of going about it.

Yorkie1

I've got one of these. The site says it's exclusive to them but I'm sure I've seen the same thing more cheaply in catalogues.

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/21736/Dry-Soon-Heated-Tower-Dryer

Works very well. And I've seen others recommend putting a sheet or something over the top to contain the heat from the bars and dry items more quickly.

Yolina

I've got a couple similar to this http://www.lakeland.co.uk/23029/Leifheit-Teleclip-Fairer which I brought over from France when I moved to the UK because I couldn't find anything like it here 20 years ago

Leodogger

Just spotted this thread when looking for the running costs of dryers and was over joyed to see the item on "Dry Soon Heated Towers" from Lakeland. We have a big condensation problem in our bedroom and have been told not to leave wet washing hanging around in our bungalow but we have a decent sized kitchen where I think we could manage to house one of these if we keep the door shut.

Just one question. Do these take up more room than a traditional pull up airer which we use in our kitchen?