# Heat Pump  Dryers



## Seasoned Oak (May 6, 2016)

My electric bill is headed for the $200 mark this month and i suspect my clothes dryer is eating up a lot of this.
With a 6 person household it seems the dryer never shuts off. 5 loads a day equals about $50 a month on the bill. Does anyone here have any experience with these new heat pump dryers. They are said to save 75% of the drying cost. They cost about $900 but if they can save $40 a month in electric it would be worth it. First im going to install a metering guage on the dryer line to see exactly what its using.


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## DBoon (May 6, 2016)

I was just looking at this http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/guest-blogs/heat-pump-clothes-dryers.

If you take the plunge, I'll be interested to hear how it works out.


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## Seasoned Oak (May 7, 2016)

DBoon said:


> I was just looking at this http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/guest-blogs/heat-pump-clothes-dryers.
> 
> If you take the plunge, I'll be interested to hear how it works out.


They are talking 5 loads a week, im sure we do 5 loads a DAY here.  So thats 7 times the savings in that article. It would pay for itself in two years.


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## jb6l6gc (May 7, 2016)

Two words. Clothes line! 
I love the crispness and freshness of clothes dried outside!  Saves me a ton!


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## maple1 (May 7, 2016)

We have a drying rack set up in one of our bathrooms. It doesn't get used as much as I would like to see it get used, but it helps. It also helps, I think, with typically lower winter indoor humidity levels. If you are really drying 5 loads a day, that would indeed be a kicker. Also have a couple of frame type clothes racks that stuff can be hung on hangers to dry.

Bath towels are a bit of a peave with me too. Used quickly for a few moments then tossed on the dirty heap - takes lots of juice to dry towels. Using them more than once seems to be a bit of an ick factor for some & I can't seem to figure it out - aren't you clean when you get out of the shower?


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## mass_burner (May 7, 2016)

jb6l6gc said:


> Two words. Clothes line!
> I love the crispness and freshness of clothes dried outside!  Saves me a ton!


Two more words...less clothes.


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## mass_burner (May 7, 2016)

maple1 said:


> We have a drying rack set up in one of our bathrooms. It doesn't get used as much as I would like to see it get used, but it helps. It also helps, I think, with typically lower winter indoor humidity levels. If you are really drying 5 loads a day, that would indeed be a kicker. Also have a couple of frame type clothes racks that stuff can be hung on hangers to dry.
> 
> Bath towels are a bit of a peave with me too. Used quickly for a few moments then tossed on the dirty heap - takes lots of juice to dry towels. Using them more than once seems to be a bit of an ick factor for some & I can't seem to figure it out - aren't you clean when you get out of the shower?


By my logic, a drying towel is perpetually clean.


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## Seasoned Oak (May 7, 2016)

mass_burner said:


> By my logic, a drying towel is perpetually clean.


I feel the same but the better half lnsists on washing every towel used (6 large towels a day) after a single use. Also most of the user,s here do not do full loads,on the contrary sometimes theres 2 sneakers in the washer or a few socks. I tried changing this behavior ,but it doesnt change and its not worth fighting over. I did pay for the most expensive hi- efficiency washer i could find in order to save water ,but now its the power for the dryer thats killing me.


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## Seasoned Oak (May 7, 2016)

jb6l6gc said:


> Two words. Clothes line!
> I love the crispness and freshness of clothes dried outside!  Saves me a ton!


Thats not going to happen! Only the one thats burdened  with the bill worries about the cost, and thats me.


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## Circus (May 7, 2016)

Instead of heating tons of air then exhausting it out the wall I bet looping in a dehumidifier would work a lot cheaper.
Never mind, next time I'll read the link before posting. It is a looped dehumidifier.


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## begreen (May 7, 2016)

Word again, clothesline. But agreed I too would be looking into a heat pump dryer.

FWIW, 5 loads a day seems a very high number. Does everyone just wear something once and toss it in the laundry?


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## Seasoned Oak (May 7, 2016)

begreen said:


> Word again, clothesline. But agreed I too would be looking into a heat pump dryer.
> 
> FWIW, 5 loads a day seems a very high number. Does everyone just wear something once and toss it in the laundry?


Yup figure one load of towels and wash clothes daily various other items like sneakers,curtains,sheets now and then,work clothes for the 3 employed adults and clothes for 2 kids.   Like i said ,seems like the thing is going 24/7 water use is about 7 to 10000 gals a month


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## BoilerMan (May 8, 2016)

Wow, that is a lot of laundry indeed!  I save a TON on a gas dryer. Our household dries an average of 10 loads/week.  I own two 100# propane tanks and they last 12-14 months, our range is also gas.  In the far NE everyone has electric ranges and dryers and at least double my electric bill.  I fill my tanks (48 gals total) for around $100, so less than $10/month for cooking and drying combined.

TS


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## Seasoned Oak (May 8, 2016)

Ill update when if find out exactly how much the dryer is using. My son has a meter that you just clamp on the wires to monitor usage. Then i can calculate the savings with a heat pump dryer. They supposedly use about a third of the power in winter and half in summer.


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## maple1 (May 8, 2016)

My mind is still boggled at 5 loads a day. Even when our 3 kids were in their 'dirtiest' years, we were nowhere near that. Maybe 5 per week - we try to make sure we do full loads though. That's almost a full time job for someone, just doing laundry - kuddos to them.


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## drewmo (May 8, 2016)

We bought one of these dryers when living in France because where we were putting the dryer didn't have exhaust in place for an electric dryer. This was maybe 10 years ago. I'll assume the technology has improved since, but our experience with this thing was horrible. It took forever to dry a load and the water collection container was pretty small, so you had to deal with that. We probably used the thing 5 times before selling it. Clothesline was up year round, and when it was too cold to line dry, a variety of racks were set up around the wood stove. Talk about a savings to your electric bill.


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## Seasoned Oak (May 8, 2016)

We 


maple1 said:


> My mind is still boggled at 5 loads a day. Even when our 3 kids were in their 'dirtiest' years, we were nowhere near that. Maybe 5 per week - we try to make sure we do full loads though. That's almost a full time job for someone, just doing laundry - kuddos to them.


Too small loads will do that too. The girls here  go thru detergent like crazy too.Then it takes multiple rinses to get all the soap out. I have a separate washer/dryer for my work clothes in the basement and im still working on a 10 year old 5 gal bucket of HE detergent.


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## DBoon (May 8, 2016)

I've learned over the years that it is impossible to "modify" some wasteful behaviors if those doing the wasting just don't care...

I'm lucky to have a wife who likes to use a clothesline.  In the warmer weather, this is 100% of what we do, and in the winter, we dry most of our clothes in front of a wood stove.  I was looking at HP dryers since the village house we are living in now will be rented out in a few years, and the dryer that vents in the basement will be used by tenants who could probably care less if the basement got humid and moldy.


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## begreen (May 8, 2016)

Seems to be time for the girls to start buying their own detergent and paying for power/water usage.


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## Seasoned Oak (May 8, 2016)

begreen said:


> Seems to be time for the girls to start buying their own detergent and paying for power/water usage.


Iv come to the stark realization a long time ago that a divorce is way more expensive than the utilities.But its getting close


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## Seasoned Oak (May 9, 2016)

DBoon said:


> I've learned over the years that it is impossible to "modify" some wasteful behaviors if those doing the wasting just don't care...


Iv got one of those wives who does not like to be told she is doing something wrong,but thats also probably why shes with me for 20 years.


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## Highbeam (May 9, 2016)

Seasoned Oak said:


> Yup figure one load of towels and wash clothes daily various other items like sneakers,curtains,sheets now and then,work clothes for the 3 employed adults and clothes for 2 kids.   Like i said ,seems like the thing is going 24/7 water use is about 7 to 10000 gals a month



I was under the impression that modern washing machines varied the water level in the drum to match the load somehow. Automatically even. If that was the case, it would seem less of a problem to run 3 small loads vs. 1 big one. Dry time is also reduced with small loads. It then follows that the number of loads isn't the problem but the vast amount of laundry you are washing.

I grew up as a pool rat. Swim team year round, swim lesson teacher, lifeguard etc. We only switched towels when the old one started stinking. They get mildew smell. It's not that they are soiled from one's body but the wetness attracts growth of yuky stuff.

We do the same at home. There is a reason that you have towel racks/bars and not towel drawers beside the shower. It's to allow your towel to dry out.


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## Seasoned Oak (May 9, 2016)

Extreme cleanliness can be an obsession. Despite the high level of cleaning everything they seem to be sick more than average. I personally do not suffer from this obsession. For me a bath towel can go at least a week or more ,when allowed to dry on the towel rack between uses.


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## Seasoned Oak (May 9, 2016)

Another bad habit is using too much detergent. Along with wearing out the clothes quickly ,it takes that many more rinses to get all the soap out.
Iv found that even when i use 1/2 the recommended amount ,it take about 4 to 6 rinses to get it all back out of the clothes.


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## Highbeam (May 9, 2016)

Seasoned Oak said:


> Extreme cleanliness can be an obsession. Despite the high level of cleaning everything they seem to be sick more than average.



I've often wondered about the link between these things. I do not get sick and will admit to being a bit less than a clean freak. Need a glass, see one on the table, smells clean, refill, saved washing a glass!


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## Sprinter (May 9, 2016)

DBoon said:


> I'm lucky to have a wife who likes to use a clothesline. In the warmer weather, this is 100% of what we do, and in the winter, we dry most of our clothes in front of a wood stove.


Exactly what we do!  I understand that Randy's family is averse to this approach, but this works so well for us I couldn't help but post.  This is what we use in good weather:
www.amazon.com/Brabantia-Lift-O-Matic-Rotary-Dryer-Clothes/dp/B0002EXYPM/
It takes up little space and looks good in the back yard.  Rotates with the breeze.
Winter we have a fold-up rack near the stove with a small table fan blowing across the stove to it.  Surprising how quickly stuff dries that way.

We (almost) never run the electric dryer.


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## Seasoned Oak (May 10, 2016)

If i could find a way to disable the heat function. Clothes will dry just fine without it but it will take longer. Iv been waiting for this 16 year old maytag that has a million miles on it to die, but it just keeps chugging along. THey should use this one in a commercial.


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## semipro (May 11, 2016)

Highbeam said:


> We do the same at home. There is a reason that you have towel racks/bars and not towel drawers beside the shower. It's to allow your towel to dry out.


I actually keep 2 towels in daily rotation since I generally shower twice a day.


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## Sprinter (May 12, 2016)

There are health related sites that discuss the issue of towel turnover.  It seems that the consensus is that it depends a lot on how many people are sharing a towel.  

As long as it's your own dead skin cells and bacteria, etc, you can get away with fewer cleanings,  But it's a different story if you share towels.  The best idea in any case is for each household member to have their own towels.


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## Seasoned Oak (May 13, 2016)

[QUOTE="Sprinter, post: 2080814, member: 22909"  The best idea in any case is for each household member to have their own towels.[/QUOTE]
I never share a towel ,but ill use one myself for a week or so. Agreed one towel for the whole family,not good! I know which one is mine as its pretty ratty


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## semipro (May 13, 2016)

I've never even considered sharing a towel - ew!


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## maple1 (May 13, 2016)

Towel sharing wasn't part of my thing either. 

More like - everyone has their own towel rack space.


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## Highbeam (May 13, 2016)

maple1 said:


> Towel sharing wasn't part of my thing either.
> 
> More like - everyone has their own towel rack space.



Yes. You rub that thing on your butt!


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## Sprinter (May 13, 2016)

Very glad to see that everyone here has good hygiene practices!  What seems obvious to most is not obvious to everyone.  Kind of reminds me of a particular Seinfeld episode.  Anybody know which one I mean?


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## Sprinter (May 13, 2016)

Seasoned Oak said:


> If i could find a way to disable the heat function.


Randy, doesn't your dryer have some kind of "tumble dry" or some such setting?  Our Whirlpool has a "fluff dry" setting than doesn't use heat.  

Maybe you don't need to wait till the Maytag dies.  Just get a new one anyway that has a setting like that.  We use that fluff dry setting mostly to fluff up some clothes like jeans that come off the clothes line a little stiff.


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## Seasoned Oak (May 13, 2016)

Sprinter said:


> Randy, doesn't your dryer have some kind of "tumble dry" or some such setting?  Our Whirlpool has a "fluff dry" setting than doesn't use heat.
> 
> Maybe you don't need to wait till the Maytag dies.  Just get a new one anyway that has a setting like that.  We use that fluff dry setting mostly to fluff up some clothes like jeans that come off the clothes line a little stiff.


Dryer has that no heat setting but the only way to get anyone to use it is to disable the coil,because of course the heat setting is faster. Same as the vent fan in the bathroom , im going to have to wire it to the light switch to get anyone to use it.


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## semipro (May 13, 2016)

Sprinter said:


> Kind of reminds me of a particular Seinfeld episode.  Anybody know which one I mean?


I think I do.  Soap is intrinsically clean right? -- hilarious exchange between Joey and Chandler about sharing soap.  "Whats the last place I clean and the first one you do".

Edit:  apparently I don't since I'm confusing Seinfeld and Friends.


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## Sprinter (May 13, 2016)

semipro said:


> I think I do.  Soap is intrinsically clean right? -- hilarious exchange between Joey and Chandler about sharing soap.  "Whats the last place I clean and the first one you do".
> 
> Edit:  apparently I don't since I'm confusing Seinfeld and Friends.


Nice try anyway.  Sorry, I don't usually watch Freinds, but it sounds like a funny exchange and to the point.

This one has to do with a restaurant.


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## semipro (May 13, 2016)

The guy that pees on Jerry's couch (Poppy) runs a restaurant and Jerry sees him leave the restaurant bathroom without washing his hands?


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## Sprinter (May 13, 2016)

semipro said:


> The guy that pees on Jerry's couch (Poppy) runs a restaurant and Jerry sees him leave the restaurant bathroom without washing his hands?


Bingo, that's the one...  Sorry, no prizes.


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## semipro (May 13, 2016)

Sprinter said:


> Bingo, that's the one...  Sorry, no prizes.


Ah, but I won one of the Fiskars x27s here for the 2 millionth post so...


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## Sprinter (May 13, 2016)

semipro said:


> Ah, but I won one of the Fiskars x27s here for the 2 millionth post so...


Congratulations.  You've had enough then.  I  remember winning a flashlight when I had a paper route.  I've had a bit of a thing for them since.  I'm now up to those super duper ultra bright tactical LED flashlights.  Something like a gazillian lumens or so.  Light up the whole neighborhood.


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## Seasoned Oak (May 14, 2016)

Those new liquid soap dispensers eliminate the need to share a bar of soap.


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## Sprinter (May 14, 2016)

Seasoned Oak said:


> Those new liquid soap dispensers eliminate the need to share a bar of soap.


liquid soap really is the way to go.  Much less messy if nothing else.

I don't like the idea of anti-bacterial soaps though, of any kind.  More harm than good it seems. 
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/scien...ably-stop-using-antibacterial-soap-180948078/


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## begreen (May 14, 2016)

Seasoned Oak said:


> Those new liquid soap dispensers eliminate the need to share a bar of soap.


Never used one at home and never will. They add more packaging, plastics and lower value than a good bar of hard soap (showers per dollar). One problem that never crossed our minds in our family is sharing a bar of soap.


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## semipro (May 14, 2016)

begreen said:


> Never used one at home and never will. They add more packaging, plastics and lower value than a good bar of hard soap (showers per dollar). One problem that never crossed our minds in our family is sharing a bar of soap.


I share the same concerns though I really hate dropping the bar soap in the shower.  Liquid soap would take care of that problem. 
We don't share soap either.


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## Sprinter (May 14, 2016)

We still use bar soap in the shower (I really like Dove) but liquid soap everywhere else.  I don't know about the "new" dispensers (or even what they are for that matter), but so far, I've probably refilled a single cheap liquid container 10 times so far.  Eventually, the pump gives out, but lasts for many months.  I do rinse them out before refilling, though.
This article is worth looking at:
http://www.outsideonline.com/1783536/how-clean-bar-soap


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## Brian26 (Mar 19, 2017)

I am really close to buying one of these. Does anyone have one? Seems they use half or more power than a regular electric dryer. I read Europe has been using them for the past 15 years. I can't seem to find how much power they draw compared to a 4500 watt electric dryer. I have a Geospring hpwh and it only uses 500 watts compared to 4500 for a regular element tank and I have reaped huge savings from it. 

I have been monitoring my electric usage with my effergy monitor and the electric dryer is crushing me on power usage. With the most expensive electric rates in the lower 48 here in CT I think I would get a good payback on one. We do hang our clothes on a line in the summer but we still end up using the dryer quite a bit due to time constraints.


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