Propane vs. Electric Clothes Dryer?

[randy41]

if this is purely based on cost then i think the price of electricity will be more stable in the long run. i also think installing a gas dryer is more costly than an electric one. a gas dryer requires both electricity and gas...

 

[Dusty]

..........

For us, the electric cost (.0963/KW) is probably lower than propane ($2.14/gas) since the last jump in prices but your local electric costs may be higher than ours.

Our electric cost is about the same, but the delivery costs that are also associate with the cost of energy is the hard part to digest. A typical bill for energy is $73 and the delivery costs are $51. Just the cost of having the meter on the building cost is $8.50, and that is a reoccurring cost every month forever. It wouldn't be so bad if they would allow you to own your meter for a one time charge. I am certain that I have paid the cost of that meter 20 times over in the past 25 years. It reminds me of the time when the phone company was the only one that you could rent a phone from and they had you over a barrel.
Dusty

 

[MossRoad]

I've had both types of dryers. Our gas dryer dries clothes twice as fast as the electic dryer every did. As far as cost of ownership, though... we are blessed to be served by one of the most expensive gas utilities in the nation. We have cheap electric, though, through a different company. However, our vacant land where we intend to build eventually has both gas and electric service by that high priced utility. So we will probably go with propane for heat, cooking and dryer. You really need to research the costs of electricity VS propane in the area that you live in. That's the only way to do it.

 

[heehaw]

you might check your dryer vent: our gas dryer started taking a long time to dry and that was the problem:
heehaw

 

[Doc_Bob]

I have natural gas and an electric dryer. I don't know any better so excuse my inexperience. Aren't you all afraid of a fire in your closet? It gives me the creeps. I will need a new dryer in our next home which now appears to be one with NG, you all really think a NG dryer beats electric?

A bunch of lint catching fire in an electric dryer versus a bunch of lint catching fire in a gas dryer?
Bob

 

[Doc_Bob]

I have natural gas and an electric dryer. I don't know any better so excuse my inexperience. Aren't you all afraid of a fire in your closet?

In gas versus electric re: fire risk. My guess is that if gas fired water heater, dryer had a greater risk of burning down a house, gas dryers would not be allowed by code. Or you would hear many stories in the news about homes burning down from the use of a gas dryer.

Gas dryers probably get little or no maintenance. Given this fact, I have not seen a home burn down from a gas dryer in my area .
Bob

 

[Wesdor]

We have the new high efficiency GE washer and propane dryer. Since you only asked about the dryer, I'll add that we are very happy with the dryer. It seems to dry a bit faster than our old GE electric.

We have had our new home for just about a year, so it is hard to tell how the energy use compares, but it seems like the propane is a at least as cheap if not a bit cheaper.

Like others suggest, your own situation may be different than mine. Good luck.

 

[Phils]

We have a propane dryer. Being off-grid would mean a huge battery bank to be able to power an electric dryer. When we first moved here we had an electric dryer but the first time I ran it from our 5500W Honda generator, the dryer loaded up the generator so bad that we didn't dry clothes until we bought a propane unit.

But the main reason I'm adding a post to this thread is to pass on the hint that the lint screen on both types of dryers needs to be washed occasionally. I can personally verify doing this works, but it's also labeled "TRUE" at Snopes.com, although the article is more directed to lengthening the life of the dryer: Urban Legends Reference Pages: Dry Cleaning

Phil

 

[kenmac]

Good point phils, clothes dry due to air movement. Air is pull ( not blown )by the fan around the clothes then exits the lint screen & out the vent. If your lint screen stopped up & restricting air flow. Your clothes will be less dry & put more of a strain on the equipment.. You may want to keep check on your dryer vent pipe as lint will get traped in the pipe & cause restriction. Birds also like to build in the dryer vent also. It's warm there.

 

[tallyho8]

I tried it! My wife cleans the lint filter every time she uses the dryer. I told her to try this. We put water in the clean looking filter and the water would not go through it. We cleaned it in hot water with soap and a brush and then the water rushed through it. Neither of us could believe the difference. Amazing what you can kearn on TBN! Thanks guys.