ENERGY STAR Now Certifying Clothes Dryers
ENERGY STAR is now, for the first time ever, going to be certifying clothes dryers — thereby allowing consumers to make more-informed choices when purchasing the ubiquitous appliances.
The move is especially worth noting when you consider the fact that dryers use more energy than practically any other appliance typically found in American households — and the fact that roughly 80% of American households have one.
In order to qualify for the new ENERGY STAR label, dryers apparently need to be at least 20% more efficient than conventional models.
ENERGY STAR certified dryers will reportedly go on sale starting on President’s Day weekend — when 45 different models, from 5 different manufacturers, will be made available around the country. The manufacturers in question include industry leaders such as Whirlpool, Maytag, and LG. The dryers on offer will reportedly include electric, gas, and compact models.
In an email sent to CleanTechnica, it was noted that, “if all residential clothes dryers sold in the US were ENERGY STAR certified, Americans could save US$1.5 billion each year in utility costs and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to more than 2 million vehicles.”
Those are certainly notable savings.
The new ENERGY STAR–certified dryers will accomplish their energy use reductions via a variety of different approaches — including the use of moisture sensors to detect the dryness of the clothes in the dryers and shut off automatically.
It bears noting here that products can only feature the ENERGY STAR label after being certified by an EPA-recognized third party, in an EPA-approved lab.
Image Credit: Energy Star
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Then a clothesline in the sun should get a whole constellations’ worth of ‘energy stars’ ;).
The free “solar system” every household already has… no installation or delivery charges.
Well, I wouldn’t say “free”.
Best I can recall I spent a buck or so on the 50′ of nylon cord that I’ve been using for a clothesline for the last 15 or so years.
Oh, and clothes pins. Couple of bucks there.
I already had the trees….
Well, if you want to go all high end I suppose it would cost you something. Otherwise you could just use any clean surface and a rock, trees, make the line and pins yourself, use other found materials, etc.
I have to hang on a line.
Otherwise the squirrels steal my socks….
Wow, sounds like you could get free meals too…
Squirrels out west aren’t nice and fat like the ones back east that make good squirrel and dumplings.
Western ones are more like seasoning. Two or three might flavor up a broth.
And a hat… and toothpicks… maybe even a clothespin or two.
Bob, you need a dryer.
I have a 3 star Bosch dryer with heatpump technic,, with solar rooftop PV,
its the combination that makes the profit.
with time saved, no hanging out wash, you can hunt your squirrels.
I should send you a photo of my view while I hang my clothes….
I have been using a combination of dryer and clotheslines for decades, used the dryer for about 10 minutes and the hang it up on the line, but when my dryer died, used the line only for about 2 years. When it poured rain outside, hung it inside.
I hung my clothes on open cabinet doors yesterday…left the garage open to let the breeze dry them out.
Well, the solar- and wind-powered dryer I use actually does require some “installation” (aka unfolding)… http://www.ikea.com/PIAimages/0185548_PE337555_S2.JPG
No energy cost indeed, but measurable upfront investment though: 8$.
Retailers selling those drying racks should be allowed to put one of those “energy guide” label showing 0$/year operating expenses, with the scale going to many hundred$ and the arrow “This model” pegged on the left or even off-scale…
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3b/Energyguide.jpg/170px-Energyguide.jpg