Check your hookups to see if your laundry room can support a gas or electric dryer. A 240-volt outlet for an electric dryer is standard in most laundry rooms. If you have a gas connection, you can probably install a gas or electric dryer, depending on your preferences.
Is it possible to connect an electric dryer to a gas dryer?
Even though a gas dryer uses less energy than an electric dryer, its power cord cannot be plugged into any electrical outlet. The power wire for a gas dryer must be plugged into a grounded socket.
Is it important whether a dryer is gas or electric?
Gas dryers are generally more efficient than electric dryers. This is due to the fact that gas dryers heat up faster and generate more heat overall, allowing garments to dry faster.
How can I tell if my home is equipped with a gas or electric dryer?
Looking behind the dryer to see if it’s an electric or gas dryer is the easiest method to tell. An electric dryer will have a long wire that connects into a standard outlet rather than a gas line. A gas dryer, on the other hand, connects to a gas valve, which is normally located directly behind the dryer. Gas dryers must also have an exhaust pipe, which normally leads to the outside of the house, according to Raker. Both types of dryers have a duct that looks like an accordion and sends hot air and lint outside.
Are there any electrical plugs on gas dryers?
Cords are not included with electric dryers. When you buy a new dryer, you’ll need to double-check your plug type and buy a new cord. Reusing old cords is not a good idea. A 240v 3-prong plug is larger than a 240v 4-prong plug, and if you don’t see a plug but only a heavy cable coming into a junction box, you have a hard-wired dryer. You have a gas dryer if you see a normal plug (115v).
Gas dryers include both an electric wire (which powers the motor and timers) and a gas connector that plugs into a conventional 115v 3-prong outlet. Gas connectors are available in stainless steel or with a yellow coating. Gas dryers do not come with a gas connector; NEVER re-use an old gas connector; the corrosive characteristics in the gas will cause it to corrode over time.
What is the price of a new electric dryer?
Initially, gas dryers are more expensive than electric dryers. According to Bob Vila, the price difference between a gas dryer and a comparable electric dryer is usually around $100. For example, mid-range electric dryers cost between $400 and $600, whereas gas dryers cost between $500 and $750.
However, gas dryers are usually less expensive to run. This is due to the fact that gas is often less expensive than electricity. Drying a load of laundry in a gas dryer costs roughly 15 to 25 cents on average. In an electric dryer, the same load would cost around 30 to 40 cents to dry. Because they deliver quick heat, gas dryers also dry your clothing faster.
Replacing an old dryer with one that uses the same power source is the most cost-effective alternative. If you move from gas to electric or vice versa, you’ll almost certainly require a specialist to install the proper power source in your laundry room, which will dramatically increase the cost of installation.
Is it necessary to vent electric dryers?
Every electric dryer must have an outlet through which warm, moist air can be ejected, or it will not work. Lint is usually present in the air, and if it is not vented outdoors, it can cause a variety of issues. Moisture can cause framing to deteriorate and mold to grow, and lint can catch fire. The dryer vent can leave through your home’s side or roof, and the opening must be sealed in some way to allow the exhaust to escape while keeping the elements out. You must strategically position your dryer in order to keep the length of the vent within specified limitations.
Do garments get ruined by using a gas dryer?
If you’re like the average American family, you’ll do roughly 400 loads of laundry every year. This equates to approximately seven loads every week. When children are involved, that figure can potentially exceed 1,000 loads each year. After you’ve washed all of those garments, you’ll need to dry them. If you don’t hang your clothes outside on a clothesline, your dryer is responsible for around 8% of your utility bills.
There are two types of dryers on the market today: gas and electric. Many homeowners select a style that complements their home’s layout. If you just have a gas line, you’ll need to buy a gas dryer, and so on. When you have the choice between the two, comparing the two energy sources is critical since one will be less expensive than the other.
All dryers, at the end of the day, work in the same way. They eliminate moisture from garments by tumbling them in a drum using heat. When weighing the advantages and disadvantages of gas vs. electric dryers, consider the technique of heat production as well as the cost of energy access to determine which option is best for your family’s needs.
List of the Gas vs. Electric Dryers Pros
1. Gas dryers are less expensive to operate.
When comparing gas dryers versus electric dryers, you must consider the entire cost per load. If you use electricity to dry your clothing, you should expect to pay up to $0.41 each load to achieve the desired outcomes. If you have a natural gas hookup in your house, each dryer cycle might cost you up to $0.33 per load. When the lowest cost of gas is compared to the highest cost of electricity, homeowners can save around $0.25 every cycle. Then times it by 400 to discover how much money you can save.
2. Gas dryers conserve energy.
The fundamental reason that gas dryers are less expensive to run is that their fuel source produces rapid heat. Each appliance has an instant-heating burner, resulting in minimum energy waste when you start a load. Electric dryers have a coil that takes a long time to heat up, which means that homeowners are spending more money on a resource that will not offer them with quick results. Because of this, certain electric dryers can take twice as long to dry a load of clothes than gas dryers.
3. Gas dryers lessen the chance of your clothes being damaged.
If the heat setting on your dryer is too high for the materials you’re trying to dry, it can cause harm to your clothes. The benefit of using a gas dryer is that you don’t have to tumble the clothes as much to get them dry. Because an electric dryer spins twice as fast as a conventional dryer, there are fewer chances for the material to snag, release lint, or suffer other types of damage during the drying process. In the long run, this may mean you spend less money on wardrobe replacement throughout the year.
4. You won’t be charged more for using a gas dryer.
When purchasing an electric dryer, the cost of the plug is not always included in the listed price. Because three-prong and four-prong types are available, you must decide which model best suits the structure of your home. Electric dryers require more power than a conventional 110v plug can offer, hence both options are 125/250v.
When you choose a gas dryer, you can plug it into any conventional 110v outlet because the heat is provided by natural gas rather than electricity. In most cases, you’ll need a professional to install a gas appliance, but the dryer is just as safe to operate with natural gas as it is with electricity.
5. Moisture sensors are used in gas dryers.
Most gas dryers have a moisture sensor that keeps track of how quickly your clothes are drying. When there isn’t as much wetness, the appliance can alter the drying time accordingly, resulting in the least amount of energy waste feasible. That means you’re not mistakenly over-drying your clothes to save energy, which prevents color fading, elasticity loss, and general wear and tear.
6. If new electric lines are required, gas dryers have similar installation costs.
Because gas dryers are 110v, you can put them into almost any outlet in your house and have them function with your natural gas line. Although the expense of rerouting a gas line to your home can be high, it is equivalent to the cost of adding a 125/250v circuit to your home in order for an electric dryer to work properly. Natural gas costs around $400 per line (depending on where you live), so even if you do need to reroute things, it may be cheaper in the long run.
7. Unlike certain electric dryers, gas dryers do not have a problem with grounding.
Depending on when a home was built, electric dryers use 3-slot or 4-slot plugs. Buildings (and appliances) built before 2000 have two hot slots and one neutral ground slot. The neutral and ground slots are separated in newer dryer receptacles. You can match the dryer cord, but this has its own set of risks to consider. There is a small but significant risk of electrifying the exterior of the appliance if you do not ground it properly. If you touched it while it was on, you could get a nasty electric shock. This is not a risk associated with gas dryers.
List of the Gas vs. Electric Dryers Cons
1. Electric dryers are less expensive to run.
When compared to a gas dryer, an electric dryer will cost less per load of laundry for the average home. This is because the appliance’s overall cost is lower than the actual utility expenditures you will incur. For the average homeowner, natural gas costs less than electricity, so you’ll want to evaluate the capital difference to determine whether you can make up the difference. If you only do 400 loads a year, the savings won’t quite get you to the dryer’s end of life.
2. Electric dryers come in a variety of styles.
When it comes to electric dryers, you can get everything from entry-level machines with only one heat setting to tiny ones that are ideal for apartments. There are also high-end appliances that use a coil that heats up while the drum rotates to fast dry your garments. Because both devices employ electric motors to make the turn and fans to distribute the heat, the features available on electric models tend to be superior to those offered on gas models from a user standpoint.
3. Electric dryers are easy to install in practically any location.
Because of the versatility of its design, an electric dryer may be placed practically anywhere in your home. There are many options accessible in garages, laundry rooms, and other designated locations for the home because you can swap out the power cord depending on whether you have a three-prong or four-prong outlet. An electric dryer can also be installed with very little equipment. After you’ve placed the appliance where it needs to go, all you have to do now is connect the vent and plug it in. Then it’s time to start drying your garments.
4. Electric dryers do not need to be connected to the power grid to work.
If you wish to use a gas dryer in your house, you’ll need a natural gas connection in your area that can be routed to your house. If this isn’t available, the power provider will charge you to install it, and then you’ll have to pay another cost to construct a secure connection that you can use without fear of a detonation.
Although the ultimate cost will vary depending on where you reside, a simple connection to an existing pipe would cost around $65 plus the cost of parts on average. The cost of this service is $139.99 at Best Buy, but it does not include the cost of a new gas line connection kit or a dryer vent kit. With a gas model, you can’t utilize foil or plastic like you can with an electric model. A price of up to $700 may be charged to reroute a gas line so that you can install the appliance in the first place.
5. Electric dryers are usually less expensive and easier to maintain.
If something goes wrong with your gas dryer, you’ll need to engage a professional expert to fix it because they’ll be dealing with the energy supply as well as the problem with your appliance. If you use an electric dryer to do your laundry, all you have to do to start the repair procedure is unplug it. When owning an electric model, most homeowners can remedy small faults with this equipment.
6. Electric dryers do not necessitate the use of vents.
If you just have a little amount of space in your home for a dryer, an electric model will almost always be your only option. The same logic applies in homes where there isn’t enough space for a vent. For a gas dryer to meet building code standards, it must have a vent installed. When you choose an electric vehicle, you no longer have to be concerned. When compared to gas dryers, electrical dryers do not create carbon monoxide during use. When your dryer is installed, you should have a CO alarm fitted.
Although choosing a gas dryer may save money in the long term for heavy laundry users, when comparing the energy sources for these two machines, the flexibility of your installation sites can often be a substantial advantage.
7. Electric dryers only use one type of energy.
If you decide to buy a gas dryer, you’ll need a place to plug it in as well as a place to connect the natural gas line. Despite the fact that the gas appliance can be plugged into any standard socket, the location of your utility will determine where it goes. That usually means you’re working in the garage, where the dryer has to work harder to stay warm while also requiring access to electricity and natural gas. Because of their requirements, electrical models just require a certain socket that is similar to what a stove plugs into. Although it consumes a little more energy, it just requires one resource to operate.
8. Electric dryers are less difficult to transport.
An electric dryer is nearly usually your best option if you do not expect to stay in your current home for an extended period of time. If you have a gas dryer, you’ll need to pay someone to come out and disconnect it from the power source. Then you’ll have to pay them to connect the dryer to your new place. If you have an electric dryer that is currently being used for laundry, simply disconnect it and load it onto the moving truck. When you have that framework in place, it will be lot easier to make changes in your life over the next few years.
A Final Thought on the Pros and Cons of Gas vs. Electric Dryers
Gas dryers are usually $100 to $200 more expensive than quality electric dryers. If you’re on a budget and want to do your laundry at home, the difference between $300 for a fully functional electric dryer and $500 for an entry-level gas dryer is significant.
To reap the benefits of both models, continual upkeep is required. If at all feasible, maintain the equipment in a hot environment. Clean the lint filter on a regular basis to enhance air flow in the dryer and prevent fires. If you use dryer sheets, scrape the lint filter with a toothbrush once a month to prevent a film from forming over the filter.
Then only dry full loads to guarantee that the appliance’s energy efficiency is maximized. It is beneficial to dry at least two or more loads in a row to take use of the dryer’s retained heat. If your model has an outside vent, check it on a regular basis to make sure no outside air is getting in.
The advantages and disadvantages of gas dryers vs. electric dryers are frequently dependent on whether or not you have a natural gas line in your home. If you don’t have one, an electric dryer is usually always the best alternative. If you buy a house with a utility connection, you can pick between the two types based on the factors listed above. At that point, the capital costs, as well as your venting alternatives, will be the most important factors to consider in order to ensure that your appliance can satisfy your household’s needs.
What is the definition of a ventless dryer?
Ventless dryers are a wonderful alternative for homes who don’t have the space for a vent-style dryer. A ventless dryer recirculates air through the drum to absorb moisture from the garments, then condenses the moisture using a heat exchanger later in the process.