Gas vs Electric Clothes Dryer?

[Montecfo]

The math on front loading washers is similar. Don't expect payback any time soon.

 

[ncbill]

Check my math


I tried to look up comparable standard electric and heat pump dryers at https://www.energystar.gov/productfinder/product/certified-clothes-dryers/

I picked Whirlpools since my local Home Depot has them
The WHD560CH* heat pump dryer costs $1388 and uses 460 kwh/hear
The WED5605M looks similar and costs $679 and uses 608 kwh/year
both are 7.4 cu/ft

So I save could save 148 kwh/year about $22.20 at my current electric rate and about 32 years to save the price difference. We probably dry fewer loads than many so it might be longer.

What diid I do wrong? To be fair the cheaper dryer is on sale right now

Here it would be only ~$15/year less.

And if my current conventional electric dryer died I'd go on Facebook or to the local used appliance store for a replacement instead of buying a new one.

 

[ERD50]

Check my math
...
So I save could save 148 kwh/year about $22.20 at my current electric rate and about 32 years to save the price difference. We probably dry fewer loads than many so it might be longer. ...

Math looks right. And...

While the newer heat pump based electric dryers consume less power when used, people should be aware of a couple of drawbacks

1. Drying times are longer, typically 1.5 to 2.0 times longer.

2. In colder climates, the heat pump is dumping cold air into your house. If it's during hot weather that's a plus, but not in the winter.

3. While you will save money running it, these models are pricier than traditional dryers. This may change in the future, but maybe not since they are much more complex machines since they basically replace a simple heating element with an air conditioner.

Yes, several negatives, though I think you have #2 backwards? There is no vent with these, so the energy to run them will be heat delivered into the house, with the cold condensate going down the drain.

But a gas/electric dryer have vents, so any time of the year you are heating/cooling, that conditioned air is forced out of the house, make up air leaks in and must be conditioned. Hard to say how much $$ effect each has w/o more math and assumptions. I'm a little surprised that some sort of incoming replacement air set up isn't promoted, A heat exchanger set up would recover some of the heat going out, but would need to be easy to clean as it would be hard to design such that it wasn't a lint trap.

-ERD50

 

[DenverDoug]

Electric Heat Pump Clothes Dryer

I’m surprised it has not been mentioned yet but they do make Electric Heat Pump Clothes Dryers. Heat Pumps are 200-300% efficient while an electric clothes dryer is 100% efficient at best. Gas dryer maybe 80%. I will swap out my gas clothes dryer with a heat pump version in a few years. I understand they take longer to dry clothes but avoid the carbon pollution that we all should be working to reduce to save out planet. FYI, the newer energy efficiency codes in the International Building Code will not allow electrical resistance Domestic Hot Water Heaters and will require heat pump hot water heaters which are 2-3x more efficient.

 

[mpeirce]

FYI, the newer energy efficiency codes in the International Building Code will not allow electrical resistance Domestic Hot Water Heaters and will require heat pump hot water heaters which are 2-3x more efficient.

Does the "International Building Code" really apply to the US?

 

[Mark1]

Does the "International Building Code" really apply to the US?

I know, my old residence in Missouri City, TX used IBC as it's enforcement standard.

 

[ERD50]

I’m surprised it has not been mentioned yet but they do make Electric Heat Pump Clothes Dryers. Heat Pumps are 200-300% efficient while an electric clothes dryer is 100% efficient at best. Gas dryer maybe 80%. I will swap out my gas clothes dryer with a heat pump version in a few years. I understand they take longer to dry clothes but avoid the carbon pollution that we all should be working to reduce to save out planet. FYI, the newer energy efficiency codes in the International Building Code will not allow electrical resistance Domestic Hot Water Heaters and will require heat pump hot water heaters which are 2-3x more efficient.

See post #50. A mere 148 kwh/year isn't going to save any planet, and even that number is suspect, as I'm sure it takes a lot more materials and energy to make a heat pump vs a simple electric dryer. And there's that refrigerant that's going to leak out at some point (maybe some will be recovered, if you're lucky). And I doubt they last as long, and certainly are not as easy to repair as a standard electric dryer.

These are basically dehumidifiers. The dehumidifier I bought a few years ago conked out at the end of the second season. I have an electric space heater that's working fine after over 35 years.

All in all, I'd be willing to bet they are a negative for the planet, when you take it all into account.

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

I know, my old residence in Missouri City, TX used IBC as it's enforcement standard.

But I can buy an electric water heater at a big box store today. When is this supposed to be enforced (never, I hope).

OK, google says proposed for 2029. I sure hope that gets killed, people should not be forced into this. I know this is a dryer thread, but for water heaters, some people don't have a good space for a heat pump water heater (they will cool the space their in).

-ERD50

 

[RetMD21]

So I heard about the Miele heat pump dryers. Only 133 kwh/year but also only 4.1 cubic feet.

I was able to fix our dryer with parts from Amazon and Youtube videos so I'm not in the market for a dryer for a while

Lowes link Miele https://pdf.lowes.com/productdocuments/cdc5b2ce-61e4-4a88-8da6-7963e5c69e0b/63583967.pdf