You’re drying your clothes wrong and wasting money – here’s the cheapest way to do it

DURING the summer months, drying your clothes on an outdoor clothesline can save you big bucks on utility bills.

But there are other, cheaper ways to dry your laundry in winter, especially if you use a machine.

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As the sun sets earlier and the temperature cools, it may not be worth hanging your clothes outside.

And sometimes, the typical dryer setting can put too much strain on your energy bills.

Corresponding Mister Electricitydryers account for about 12 percent of the electricity consumption in most households.

For example, at a rate of 15 cents per kilowatt hour and seven and a half loads per week, you could save up to $196 each year by replacing the electric dryer with a tumble dryer.

However, there are also some standard dryer tips and tricks you can try — like smaller loads, cleaning the lint filter, or lower heat settings.

Below are some creative dryer hacks to keep utility costs down.

heat pump dryer

A heat pump dryer works as a closed system, heating the air, using it to remove moisture from clothes, and then reusing it once the moisture is gone.

Instead of releasing warm air out through a dryer vent, a heat pump dryer directs it through an evaporator, which removes moisture without losing too much heat.

As a result, the process consumes less electricity.

According to Energy Star, these can reduce energy consumption by at least 28 percent compared to standard dryers.

In addition, they protect the clothes.

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gas dryer

If gas is cheaper than electricity in your area, it may be beneficial to switch to a gas dryer.

Being set to gas can give you many benefits such as faster drying times, better energy efficiency and lower running costs.

Just remember that a gas dryer requires its own gas line.

With many dryers to choose from, Home Depot has plenty of offerings from $600.

Radiator hack – no dryer

For those trying to ditch the dryer, consider this innovative alternative.

For this first no-tumble drying hack, all you need is a clothes rack, a bed sheet, and your radiator.

You just grab a clothes rack and place it right in front of your radiator or heater.

Once you have placed all of your wet clothes on the rack, take a bed sheet and use it to cover all of your clothes as well as the radiator.

Whenever you have your heating on, your clothes will dry while your home warms naturally, at no extra cost to your bill.

Just make sure the radiator isn’t touching the clothes and that they’re far enough away so they don’t heat up too quickly and run the risk of shrinking, especially for delicate garments.

More savings tips

As demand for electricity puts a strain on the grid, many utilities have started charging more at certain times.

This is because power plants must generate additional energy, sometimes in advance, to meet anticipated demand.

With more energy comes more money, and that usually means higher bills.

Although some utility companies have different definitions, they divide periods of use into two categories: peak hours and off-peak hours.

Rush hours are usually mornings from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on weekdays.

During this period, you pay the highest amount per kilowatt hour consumed.

While off-peak times are 11pm and 7am on weekdays, all day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Overall demand tends to shift by region and season.

In winter, the daily electricity consumption usually has a peak in the morning and a peak in the evening.

On weekends and public holidays, consumption is usually lower than on weekdays, as most branches are closed.

The US Sun previously showed how you can cut your electric bill by $300 by turning off energy-guzzling appliances.

Plus, this $8 Amazon item can save $512 on your energy bill.