An efficient dryer operates in a timely manner and completes the job of sufficiently drying materials. Dryer efficiency depends on the strength of its power source and how you maintain it as a homeowner. Using a gas or an electric clothes dryer consumes energy that reflects in your utility bills, which means maximizing your dryer’s efficiency is crucial to saving time and money.
If you’ve covered the required maintenance for your dryer but have yet to see satisfactory results, it’s time to explore how to make the most of your model. Consider the following ways to maximize your dryer’s efficiency to conserve energy, boost its drying performance, and optimize your next laundry cycle.
Use Dryer Balls
A dryer ball consists of plastic, rubber, or tightly compressed wool. Dryer balls help prevent laundry from tangling, improve heat circulation, and helps reduce the overall dry time and energy consumption of your dryer. The movement of dryer balls also helps reduce wrinkles, static, and helps soften clothing.
Don’t Dry Too Little
Avoid running the dryer for a handful of clothing that doesn’t reach minimum capacity. Each time you operate your dryer, it utilizes energy, and it’s best to reserve it for sufficient loads. Consider waiting for the next load of laundry to run the dryer or hanging the few articles of clothing outside to air dry.
Don’t Dry Too Much
Just like you want to avoid drying too little, it’s also important to avoid drying too much. It’s important to dry in bulk, when possible, but avoid overloading your dryer to ensure the clothes tumble correctly. If the clothes in your dryer don’t properly tumble, it prevents adequate air and heat circulation to dry them.
Dry Loads Back-to-Back
There’s a buffer period for your dryer to use energy and heat up after you turn it on. It’s also common to wait a day or so between drying loads, but this requires more energy consumption from your dryer. Instead of waiting until the following day to dry your next load, consider drying it straight after the first one.
Use Higher Spin Speeds
It requires more energy to start your dryer than to run your washer on a higher spin speed. The more water your washed clothing retains, the more energy a dryer requires to sufficiently distribute heat and air to dry them. Consider using the high-speed setting on your washer to remove excess moisture from clothes before transferring them to the dryer. This method also shortens the drying time and saves energy.
Use the Dry Towel Trick
If you’re required to use a heavy wash cycle and searching for ways to maximize your dryer’s efficiency, consider using the dry towel trick. The dry towel trick provides an additional source of drying power for your laundry.
Place a dry towel with your wet load to help soak up excess moisture during the drying process. The trick requires nothing more than loading an extra bath towel and can reduce drying time by up to 20 minutes. Avoid using more than one dry towel per load to prevent using up surface area inside of your dryer and hindering the distribution of air and heat.
Keep Clothes Untangled
It’s common to separate clothing by color before doing laundry, but an additional separation process can help maximize the drying process. Clothes become knotted inside of the washer, and this can cause the materials to retain excess moisture. Tangled clothing also increases the risk of damaging the material and requires more energy if you must run a second cycle.
Take the time to detangle wet clothing from the washer before transferring it to the dryer to help the load dry evenly, avoid material damage, and reduce the overall drying time.
Separate Light and Heavy
Clothing and other materials can vary in density based on the fabric type. Heavier items, like winter coats, take longer to dry than lightweight items like blouses or sheets. Drying light and heavy items together also place the lighter items at risk of over-drying, which can place cause abrasion and damage to finer fabrics. Increase dryer efficiency by separating light and heavy materials from each other.
For the same reason, it’s important to separate items with buttons or zippers to avoid snagging other fabrics. Combining light and heavy items also increases the risk of uneven distribution of heat and air, which can leave the heavier items damp.
Straighten the Dryer Duct
When you run the dryer, the heat and tumbling evaporate moisture from the clothing and channels out through the dryer duct. Dryer ducts are susceptible to crinkling and twisting from mounting a dryer against the wall.
A dryer duct that’s not fully open can hinder the drying process from ineffectively removing moisture from your laundry. Be sure to straighten your dryer duct before running a load to ensure optimal water removal.
If you’re investing in a new duct for dryer efficiency, remember that a shorter duct makes it easier to keep it straight, but a longer duct allows you to move the dryer around without disconnecting. Arrange longer dryer ducts to the side of the dryer to keep the length open for moisture to filter out of it. This method also permits you to push the dryer further against the wall without crumpling or twisting the duct.
Update Your Dryer Model
A dryer model that’s exceeded its use can begin to show in laundry. If your dryer is taking a long time to dry loads, especially smaller ones, it’s likely time to consider if you require a new dryer model. Newer dryer models also provide more control features than older models, which can help you have a maximized drying performance at the lowest energy use.
The best way to maximize dryer production is to invest in an energy-efficient model. If you’re exploring options to upgrade your dryer, be mindful of the features that optimize drying functions such as moisture sensors, wrinkle options, and the type of temperature controls provided.
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