# Gas vs Electric Clothes Dryer??



## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Without a doubt, the gas will be cheaper. Typically about half the cost depending on your cost of electricity.

Yes, you can use the same vent. For safety, make sure it's less than 20' and no more than 2 90's....and solid wall steel. Try not to use the flexible stuff....at least the plastic flexible.

Good time to make sure it's clean.

I personally wouldn't have anything other than gas.


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## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

ddawg16 said:


> Without a doubt, the gas will be cheaper. Typically about half the cost depending on your cost of electricity.
> 
> Yes, you can use the same vent. For safety, make sure it's less than 20' and no more than 2 90's....and solid wall steel. Try not to use the flexible stuff....at least the plastic flexible.
> 
> ...


^^^^^^^^
Perfectly said.... :thumbsup:


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

I also agree with ddawg, but think an exception can be made. I had a all electric home ( wood heat) on a large lot for a couple of years. The cost of getting gas up to the house (or adding a propane system) wasn't justified for the short time I would be there. So, we had an electric dryer.

But, having both fuels available, I would never choose electric over gas.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Oso954 said:


> I also agree with ddawg, but think an exception can be made. I had a all electric home ( wood heat) on a large lot for a couple of years. The cost of getting gas up to the house (or adding a propane system) wasn't justified for the short time I would be there. So, we had an electric dryer.
> 
> But, having both fuels available, I would never choose electric over gas.


That would be a very good exception.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

I will never own an electric dryer if I have a choice. My current gas one is close to 25 years old and going strong.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Colbyt said:


> I will never own an electric dryer if I have a choice. My current gas one is close to 25 years old and going strong.


Just like I'll never own an electric water heater.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

Never owned a gas dryer. Always been electric (same with hot water). In fact where I come from there are probably more electric dryers than gas.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Bob Sanders said:


> Never owned a gas dryer. Always been electric (same with hot water). In fact where I come from there are probably more electric dryers than gas.



I'm sure that is true here also. I don't have any numbers but gas dryers are a very small % of sales.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Master Brian said:


> To be totally honest, I'm not sure I understand all of that........


 On my gas bill, they more clearly explain that I am getting hosed. I pay about $25 a month just for the honor of being hooked up. Bet you have a bunch of up-front charges too. Gas is normally cheaper than electricity per unit energy. If you are already hooked up to gas, you might as well use it. 

I had a gas dryer at my old place. Only problem I ever had with it was the "door closed" switch failed once, and then when I was fixing it, I vacuumed out the interior of the drier and _just barely_ touched the ceramic igniter with the vacuum wand. Live and learn. Don't touch one of those ceramic igniters - very fragile.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Master Brian said:


> My understanding is Gas dries clothes quicker and is generally cheaper to operate, but normally costs about $50 more up front.
> 
> I currently have an electric dryer that we paid a bunch of money for about 8-10yrs ago...it works fine EXCEPT it has a dryness sensor that keeps screwing up. It seems for the past 5-6yrs we've had to keep replacing parts and now I think it's the timer, but not 100% certain. All of that equals a dryer that doesn't shut off when it should, obviously that's not a good thing. I'm now at the point I want to replace it with something else because even if I fix it, there is no guarantee it won't break again and thus not turn off.
> 
> ...




Ever wonder why there are so many gas dryers there??????


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

SPS-1 said:


> On my gas bill, they more clearly explain that I am getting hosed. I pay about $25 a month just for the honor of being hooked up. Bet you have a bunch of up-front charges too. Gas is normally cheaper than electricity per unit energy. If you are already hooked up to gas, you might as well use it.


I'm still not convinced gas dryers are better.... even if you have gas.

While it is true gas is cheaper than electric, you're probably not saving enough to make that much of a difference. For a small family the dryer is probably running maybe 5 or 6 hours a week. Unless you're paying crazy electric rates, you are most likely not going to save anything after the higher purchase price, and higher maintenance costs of a gas dryer. I don't know about the USA but here in Canada you are not allowed to do your own gas work so the maintenance costs are quite a bit higher than the electric dryers once you start considering the hourly wage of a guy with a gas ticket.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

In a lot of the USA. A home owner can do his/her own gas work.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

The initial cost here in the US is only about $50 more. The operating cost is about 50% even in KY with some of the nation's lowest electric cost.

https://www.google.com/search?q=operating+cost+gas+vs+electric+clothes+dryer&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

The clothes spend less time tumbling around and may last longer as a result.

Mine is close to 25 years old with zero service calls or repairs.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

Bob Sanders said:


> I'm still not convinced gas dryers are better.... even if you have gas.
> 
> While it is true gas is cheaper than electric, you're probably not saving enough to make that much of a difference.



I agree with Bob on this one. I have lived with gas dryers and HW for 20+ yrs. About 5 years ago switched over to electric HW expecting to pay a little extra. I purchased a jacket to help insulate it. After install and was up to temp I found by placing my hand on the top of the tank there is no noticeable heat loss. Never installed the jacket. My monthly utility did not change. 
If you put your hand on top of a gas HW tank, you are likely to burn your hand. Which of course heat loss, not including the heat loss from the flue. I like the idea of less penetrations thru the roof and any chance I get to eliminate a chimney I feel is a good thing.

Regarding the dryer, Ms. Yoda always said the clothes had a hint of gas smell. There was no detectable gas leaks, and the Maytag spun for many years. About three years ago switched to electric. Clothes smell better (so she says, happy wife, happy life) more importantly no change in my monthly utility.


For me and our small family (2) the electric has worked out well.

Also paying around .12 kwh for electric


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

Canarywood1 said:


> Ever wonder why there are so many gas dryers there??????



I was actually very surprised at the number of them that were there. I'm sure you are insinuating a reason, but I honestly don't know. I'm not sure if that many people buy them or decide they don't like them. 

I'm not sure I know anyone off hand that owns a gas dryer! FWI, I feel no heat on top of my gas water heater, unless I touch the flue when it's running. 

We have a family of four, with two younger kids.....I bet our dryer runs 2-3 times a day on average.


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

ddawg16 said:


> Yes, you can use the same vent. For safety, make sure it's less than 20' and no more than 2 90's....and solid wall steel. Try not to use the flexible stuff....at least the plastic flexible.


I believe I have a few feet of flexible aluminum, just to make the connection to the rigid pipe. I've tried to figure out a good way to eliminate even that, but I always worry I won't get it pushed to the vent good if I do. The rest of the run is rigid aluminum with only one 90, but it goes 15-20'. I suppose (and have thought about) shortening that run and running it out the south wall, which would reduce the run by several feet. Right now it goes out the north wall. I could use the vent hole for a bath exhaust I'm installing in the basement.

Sooo..when you say solid wall steel....does that include the rigid aluminum, I was told to originally use for the dryer? I thought you didn't want steel as it would rust from the moisture!


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

Master Brian said:


> I was actually very surprised at the number of them that were there. I'm sure you are insinuating a reason, but I honestly don't know. I'm not sure if that many people buy them or decide they don't like them.
> 
> 
> I'm not sure I know anyone off hand that owns a gas dryer! FWI, I feel no heat on top of my gas water heater, unless I touch the flue when it's running.
> ...



on the surface looking at the cost per btu, gas is almost always cheaper than electric, so it just makes sense to go in that direction if you can.

But when you look at the efficiency of typical gas vs electric hot water tanks. Electric is close to 95% where gas is in the 60% range. So some what you save in cost per btu you are loosing in efficiency.
Probably why I saw no increase when I switched to electric.


With the dryer, both are exhausting hot air so I would expect the efficiency differential to be smaller.


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

Yodaman said:


> on the surface looking at the cost per btu, gas is almost always cheaper than electric, so it just makes sense to go in that direction if you can.
> 
> But when you look at the efficiency of typical gas vs electric hot water tanks. Electric is close to 95% where gas is in the 60% range. So some what you save in cost per btu you are loosing in efficiency.
> Probably why I saw no increase when I switched to electric.
> ...


That does pose an interesting point. I wonder if there is somewhere to find out the actual cost per gallon of water at a certain temp over say a month span. 

Personally, I am about 2-3 years into a very well performing Bradford White 50 or 60 gallon gas hot water heater. I know some people go High Efficiency, but I can't justify the cost upgrade. Just no way the added cost could possibly be made up. My last gas bill was $32 and only thing operating right now is the Water Heater. I used to have a gas range and will likely go back to one and I'm considering the gas dryer. Our furnace is also from the 90's so I'm sure that's going to be the next thing replaced and I'm sure it'll have to be sidewall vented and H.E.. With that said, those are currently the only things venting out of the main chimney stack, which, I'd like to take back and use it again as a fireplace and install a gas unit in it's place,so if/when the furnace and the water heater get replaced again, I might be in the market for other options and maybe electric would be the way to go on the water heater....hmmm!!! Wonder if I should future proof and run a 220 line in the area just in case and before I finish off my basement ceiling! I've got 200amp service and plenty of space in the panel(s).


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## Clutchcargo (Mar 31, 2007)

Yodaman said:


> But when you look at the efficiency of typical gas vs electric hot water tanks. Electric is close to 95% where gas is in the 60% range. So some what you save in cost per btu you are loosing in efficiency.
> Probably why I saw no increase when I switched to electric.


The inefficiencies of electric happen upstream at the power plant which is largely why it's more expensive than gas.
At the power plant, they're probably only getting about 50% efficiency in the conversion to electricity.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

Clutchcargo said:


> At the power plant, they're probably only getting about 50% efficiency in the conversion to electricity.


That would depend entirely on the power plant. Here it's almost all hydro dams and therefore the cost is pretty cheap.

There are other things to consider though. For those who don't presently have gas, there is a monthly service you will have to pay, The exhaust flew is a hole in the wall letting air escape, CO detectors required for gas... blah blah, blah.

I know a smaller landlord who's pulling all the gas appliances out except for heat and replacing it all with electric because the price of gas in terms of various safety and upgrade code requirements makes it not worth it for the smaller appliances.

It all depends on where you live I guess.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

Master Brian said:


> That does pose an interesting point. I wonder if there is somewhere to find out the actual cost per gallon of water at a certain temp over say a month span.



http://energy.gov/energysaver/estim...cy-storage-demand-and-heat-pump-water-heaters

This is how the gov't suggest calculating annual usage for each. When you compare modern appliances and have average utility cost for each, the gas should work in your favor. When I first switched from gas to electric I took out a 15+ year old tank. It could be the efficiency of that old unit was so bad that when I switched to a new electric the heating cost was a wash.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

Bob Sanders said:


> I know a smaller landlord who's pulling all the gas appliances out except for heat and replacing it all with electric because the price of gas in terms of various safety and upgrade code requirements makes it not worth it for the smaller appliances.
> 
> It all depends on where you live I guess.


It does make sense, and I have been moving in this direction for several years. When a furnace needs replacing, I put in a gas HE vented thru the wall. This often will orphan a HW tank as the only user of a masonry chimney. (which is not good in the north)
So when the tank goes, its replaced with electric. And finally when the roof is redone, the chimney is taken down below the roof line.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Clutchcargo said:


> The inefficiencies of electric happen upstream at the power plant which is largely why it's more expensive than gas.
> At the power plant, they're probably only getting about 50% efficiency in the conversion to electricity.


Coal 32-42%
NG 32-38%
Hydro 80-90%
Wind 30-45%


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## Hoek (May 9, 2015)

I have done my own calcs on this and gas comes out ahead but not by much.

A gas dryer still uses a significant amount of electricity, much more than I originally thought before I took measurements. All those clothes tumbling take a lot of work. Ever lugged down a cement mixer when the water went in? Same principle.

So the savings in energy by going to gas heat is not as great as if it were a water heater or something. Then there is the initial cost. Not bad if you are going with used. Then the cost of running the line which may be great or small depending on the situation. In my house I went to the trouble because I am capable and it was easy and I already had the dryer. But if it had been a long run, opening walls, etc. I would not have bothered.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

Hoek said:


> I have done my own calcs on this and gas comes out ahead but not by much.
> 
> A gas dryer still uses a significant amount of electricity, much more than I originally thought before I took measurements. All those clothes tumbling take a lot of work. Ever lugged down a cement mixer when the water went in? Same principle.
> 
> So the savings in energy by going to gas heat is not as great as if it were a water heater or something. Then there is the initial cost. Not bad if you are going with used. Then the cost of running the line which may be great or small depending on the situation. In my house I went to the trouble because I am capable and it was easy and I already had the dryer. But if it had been a long run, opening walls, etc. I would not have bothered.


Care to share the numbers? When I get a chance I will but a meter on my electric dryer and check current draw.

It is a HE Lg about 3 years old


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

A gas appliance needs combustion air- keep that in mind when it comes to dryers in small spaces. You may need to add wall grills to pull air from an adjacent room.

Dryer vent length is 30lf per IRC. Discount 5ft for 90's, 2.5ft for 45's- sounds like your good with your present vent set up


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

TheEplumber said:


> A gas appliance needs combustion air- keep that in mind when it comes to dryers in small spaces. You may need to add wall grills to pull air from an adjacent room.
> 
> Dryer vent length is 30lf per IRC. Discount 5ft for 90's, 2.5ft for 45's- sounds like your good with your present vent set up


And electric needs air as well....it goes out the same dryer vent.

But....good thing to point out.


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

ddawg16 said:


> And electric needs air as well....it goes out the same dryer vent.
> 
> But....good thing to point out.


Not quite what I had in mind. I'm talking combustion air to burn the gas. Just like a furnace or water htr.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

TheEplumber said:


> Not quite what I had in mind. I'm talking combustion air to burn the gas. Just like a furnace or water htr.


I understood exactly what you meant....but it brought up a good point, 'any' dryer, gas or electric needs air to push through the heater and tub. Even with electric, if you don't have enough air, it will over heat.

Hence, you brought up a very important point.....especially for those people who have their house so tight that no air gets in or out.


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## Master Brian (Apr 24, 2009)

100 year old house, dryer is in a fairly good size space in the basement. Definitely not air tight. Room is currently open to rest of ~1000sqft of space in my basement, but I am working on finishing it off, so it will be separated by doors and walls soon, but still in around a 100+sqft room(probably closer to 150-200+ if you include the space above knee walls where the foundation steps in when part of basement was likely dug out years ago). Good point though!! I also have hot water heater and furnace in same general area.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

ddawg16 said:


> Hence, you brought up a very important point.....especially for those people who have their house so tight that no air gets in or out.


In most locals, an electric dryer doesn't HAVE to be vented outdoors. You can vent indoors if you wish to save some energy and use the extra humidity in the Winter. They do sell indoor venting systems with filters and advise to use one if you wish to vent indoors. That lint needs to be properly trapped so it doesn't go all over your house.


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## Hoek (May 9, 2015)

I used a kill-a-watt meter on the electric and counted the revolutions on my gas meter. I don't have the numbers any more because it has been some years. 

Whether your dryer is new or old, it does not matter. The dryer has a motor, of which the efficiency is pretty much the same, and a heater, which cannot be made more efficient. It just dumps all the heat into the drum. It takes a significant amount of energy to tumble the clothes. 

This guy has a very good Javascript calculator.
http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/dryers.html 



Yodaman said:


> Care to share the numbers? When I get a chance I will but a meter on my electric dryer and check current draw.
> 
> It is a HE Lg about 3 years old


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