I am wondering about the actual amount of increase in efficiency from a gas
dryer of the recent and not so recent (5 year ago and 17 year ago as opposed
to what is on the display floor today). For a family doing an average of
three or more loads a day is there much reduction in the gas used now vs an
older dryer, and just how much?


Thanks!

Ralph D. wrote:
I am wondering about the actual amount of increase in efficiency from
a gas dryer of the recent and not so recent (5 year ago and 17 year
ago as opposed to what is on the display floor today). For a family
doing an average of three or more loads a day is there much reduction
in the gas used now vs an older dryer, and just how much?


Thanks!

I don't think you will find much change in the efficiency of the dryer.
On the other hand if you pick up a new front loading washer will a high spin
speed, you will reduce drying time by maybe 30%. That is real savings no
matter what dryer you are using.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

If you really want to use less gas, I would be thinking about why you
do so many loads of laundry in the first place. I'm doing about 2 per
week.

On 1/24/2005 2:00 PM US(ET), took fingers to
keys, and typed the following:

If you really want to use less gas, I would be thinking about why you
do so many loads of laundry in the first place. I'm doing about 2 per
week.


Not everyone lives alone. I live with 3 adult females (don't get
excited, 2 are my daughters). We all shower and change clothes everyday,
some twice a day.
Towels alone can take two loads. Besides, with the women, there are
delicates that have to be washed separately from other clothes. I have a
1' x 2' square laundry chute dropping down from the second floor bedroom
area that is usually half full.
My wife does about 10 to 12 loads a week.
My water softener says we average 240 gallons of water per day.

--
Bill

willshak wrote:
Not everyone lives alone. I live with 3 adult females (don't get
excited, 2 are my daughters). We all shower and change clothes everyday,
some twice a day.
Towels alone can take two loads. Besides, with the women, there are
delicates that have to be washed separately from other clothes. I have a
1' x 2' square laundry chute dropping down from the second floor bedroom
area that is usually half full.
My wife does about 10 to 12 loads a week.
My water softener says we average 240 gallons of water per day.

If your dryer is new enough to have an electronic ignition instead of a pilot
light, there's not a lot of efficiency gains in anything newer.

I'd have to agree with Joseph. You're going to get a lot more bang for the
drying buck getting a front-loading washer with a fast-spin cycle -- with a
good one the clothes are darn near dry before you put 'em in the dryer. They
also tend to use less water more load, too -- might be significant if your water
runs you a good chunk o' change.

Joseph Meehan wrote:
Ralph D. wrote:
I am wondering about the actual amount of increase in efficiency
from
a gas dryer of the recent and not so recent (5 year ago and 17 year
ago as opposed to what is on the display floor today). For a family
doing an average of three or more loads a day is there much
reduction
in the gas used now vs an older dryer, and just how much?



The real savings is to use it less. A dryer is on of the worst
applicances energy wise in the winter. You are taking warm air from
your home, heating it more and drying your clothes with it and pumping
it outside. All the air from your home that your dreyer pumps out
through the vent must be replaced and it is replaced by cold dry air
from outside leaking in. So running the dreyer makes your home furnace
work more too. It's a double wammy. If you REALLY want to improve
energy efficency, consider on of the heat reclimation devices for the
dryer exhaust. But they have problems with lint, so you can't win.
Mark

I agree too. CHeck out front loaders from Whirlpool, Kenmore and Maytag.
Consumer Reports says the Maytag is not reliable but I've had one for 7
years and it is fine. They had some mildew issues but if you called them
they replaced the tub seal with a mildew resistent one and made other
improvements and upgraded the circuit board to make it wash better for free
even though it was over 5 years old. I call that standing behind your
appliance.


"Andy Hill" wrote in message
...
willshak wrote:
Not everyone lives alone. I live with 3 adult females (don't get
excited, 2 are my daughters). We all shower and change clothes everyday,
some twice a day.
Towels alone can take two loads. Besides, with the women, there are
delicates that have to be washed separately from other clothes. I have a
1' x 2' square laundry chute dropping down from the second floor bedroom
area that is usually half full.
My wife does about 10 to 12 loads a week.
My water softener says we average 240 gallons of water per day.

If your dryer is new enough to have an electronic ignition instead of a
pilot
light, there's not a lot of efficiency gains in anything newer.

I'd have to agree with Joseph. You're going to get a lot more bang for
the
drying buck getting a front-loading washer with a fast-spin cycle -- with
a
good one the clothes are darn near dry before you put 'em in the dryer.
They
also tend to use less water more load, too -- might be significant if your
water
runs you a good chunk o' change.

Art wrote:
I agree too. CHeck out front loaders from Whirlpool, Kenmore and Maytag.
Consumer Reports says the Maytag is not reliable but I've had one for 7
years and it is fine. They had some mildew issues but if you called them
they replaced the tub seal with a mildew resistent one and made other
improvements and upgraded the circuit board to make it wash better for free
even though it was over 5 years old. I call that standing behind your
appliance.

I recently moved into a house that came complete with a Maytag Neptune
washer (and dryer), circa 1998. I'm glad they stand behind their
product... Maybe the recent class action lawsuit has something to with
that? The *major* mildew issues were unacceptable for my family, we
chucked it within a few weeks.

Victor

seriously. 4 people, 3 loads a day. you guys need to get a handle on this.

for starters, towels (and most clothing) can be used more than one day...
sounds like you could cut your laundry in half right there... and if its
not just full of towels, i would seriously consider counseling to get over
this obsession with cleanliness.... let me guess. you got those sanitary
wipes in the house too? it also beats your clothes to hell being washed all
the time.

its costing you a fortune.

but ignoring those issues, as others have said, sounds like your best bet is
a washing machine with an extraction cycle.

randy

"Ralph D." wrote in message
...
I am wondering about the actual amount of increase in efficiency from a gas
dryer of the recent and not so recent (5 year ago and 17 year ago as
opposed
to what is on the display floor today). For a family doing an average of
three or more loads a day is there much reduction in the gas used now vs
an
older dryer, and just how much?


Thanks!

xrongor wrote:
seriously. 4 people, 3 loads a day. you guys need to get a handle
on this.
for starters, towels (and most clothing) can be used more than one
day... sounds like you could cut your laundry in half right there... and
if its not just full of towels, i would seriously consider
counseling to get over this obsession with cleanliness.... let me
guess. you got those sanitary wipes in the house too? it also beats
your clothes to hell being washed all the time.

I'm with you. Drip-dry uses NO towels at all!

Towels used only after a shower never need washing. Ever.

Depending what was in the bath water (various herbs, spices, fragrences,
emollients, etc.), towels used after bathing may not need washing.


its costing you a fortune.

but ignoring those issues, as others have said, sounds like your best
bet is a washing machine with an extraction cycle.

randy

Well, when I was in school it took 512 BTU, if memory serves, to vaporize
water at 212F and one atmosphere. That is, to go from liquid to vapor at
212F.

I expect it takes the same ammount, even if that ammount is different than
my memory.

What could get more efficient? It isn't a wise ass answer, you're trying to
vaporize water to blow it out a vent. I guess you could use a lighter drum,
and lower HP motor.....

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"Ralph D." wrote in message
...
I am wondering about the actual amount of increase in efficiency from a gas
dryer of the recent and not so recent (5 year ago and 17 year ago as opposed
to what is on the display floor today). For a family doing an average of
three or more loads a day is there much reduction in the gas used now vs an
older dryer, and just how much?


Thanks!

I dry clothes with an indoor clothes line. I don't even own a clothes dryer
any more.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


wrote in message
ups.com...
If you really want to use less gas, I would be thinking about why you
do so many loads of laundry in the first place. I'm doing about 2 per
week.

"Mark" wrote in message
ups.com...

Joseph Meehan wrote:
Ralph D. wrote:
I am wondering about the actual amount of increase in efficiency
from
a gas dryer of the recent and not so recent (5 year ago and 17 year
ago as opposed to what is on the display floor today). For a family
doing an average of three or more loads a day is there much
reduction
in the gas used now vs an older dryer, and just how much?



The real savings is to use it less. A dryer is on of the worst
applicances energy wise in the winter. You are taking warm air from
your home, heating it more and drying your clothes with it and pumping
it outside. All the air from your home that your dreyer pumps out
through the vent must be replaced and it is replaced by cold dry air
from outside leaking in. So running the dreyer makes your home furnace
work more too. It's a double wammy. If you REALLY want to improve
energy efficency, consider on of the heat reclimation devices for the
dryer exhaust. But they have problems with lint, so you can't win.
Mark

I tried to use it less, but during the winter it got really cold going
naked. Not only that the neighbors complained.


--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 13:49:16 -0500, "Ralph D."
wrote:

I am wondering about the actual amount of increase in efficiency from a gas
dryer of the recent and not so recent (5 year ago and 17 year ago as opposed
to what is on the display floor today). For a family doing an average of
three or more loads a day is there much reduction in the gas used now vs an
older dryer, and just how much?


Thanks!


I know that running loads back-to-back is more efficient because the
dryer is already heated. A moisture sensor saves some energy. You
have to weigh the cost of a new dryer with a little less efficiency.
I'd probably keep the old dryer, and keep the machine and ductwork
clean. With that many loads, even a new dryer will deposit lint in
the ductwork fairly quickly. I do 3 large loads a week and clean the
ductwork every 10 months.

"JerryMouse" wrote in message
...
xrongor wrote:
seriously. 4 people, 3 loads a day. you guys need to get a handle
on this.
for starters, towels (and most clothing) can be used more than one
day... sounds like you could cut your laundry in half right there... and
if its not just full of towels, i would seriously consider
counseling to get over this obsession with cleanliness.... let me
guess. you got those sanitary wipes in the house too? it also beats
your clothes to hell being washed all the time.

I'm with you. Drip-dry uses NO towels at all!

Towels used only after a shower never need washing. Ever.

Depending what was in the bath water (various herbs, spices, fragrences,
emollients, etc.), towels used after bathing may not need washing.

well your skin does have oil on it, and showering doesnt remove all of it,
and it does get into the towel a bit along with little bits of skin... i
woundnt say never need washing..

i get about a week of daily showering (sometimes twice in a day) out of a
towel before i move on to the next one, but im sure i could get longer were
i trying to stretch it.

randy

I also think you need to go to once a week towel washing.