You should take advantage of the great outdoors when possible by using clothes lines. Your clothes will not only last a lot longer but you save energy and money as well. Another option is a clothes hanging rack. Clothes may not dry as quickly without sunshine and fresh air but a rack will keep you from using unnecessary electricity.
I realize that dryers are more convenient and dry your clothes faster, so if you still choose to use a dryer the best way to ensure it's efficiency is to clean the dryer vent's lint screen after every load. I have read that a dryer with a clogged lint screen can take up to 30% longer to completely dry your clothes. Now I know everyone has heard about cleaning the lint screen, but did you know that according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 15,000 fires occur in clothes dryers each year and lint is pegged as the most common cause. You will also want to check the dryer's vent hose and clean it out on a regular basis.
It is also a good idea to wait until you have a full load before doing laundry in effort to save electricity and also try to time this chore and wash and dry clothes in consecutive loads to take advantage of the already warm dryer. Make sure to leave enough room for clothes to tumble or they will not dry as quickly as they should and over drying your clothes wastes energy and will also prematurely wear them out.
One More Energy Saving Tip
Waiting until after peak hours (usually after 8:00 p.m.) to run your dryer and other appliances will save you even more. The power companies will charge more per kilowatt-hour during peak power usage times so wait until the later hours to run your large appliances whenever possible.
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