No Cost / Low Cost

• Install an outdoor clothes line. Heat from the sun and the flow of air will dry your clothes. An indoor clothes rack may take longer to dry, but it is an energy efficient alternative to the clothes dryer.
• Dry full loads whenever possible but don’t overload the machine.
• Clean the lint trap after every load. A clogged lint trap can increase energy use up to 30 per cent and may be a fire hazard.
• Try to start your second load of drying as soon as the first is finished. That way, the dryer will still be warm – and you will save energy.
• Make sure your clothes are wrung out well before putting them in the dryer.
• Separate your loads into heavy, medium and lightweight items – lighter loads will take less drying time than a mixture of items.
• Don’t leave clothes in the dryer too long. Over-drying not only uses more electricity but also increases shrinkage and wrinkles. Clothes should dry in 40 minutes to one hour.
• Use your dryer’s “cool down” cycle – usually the “permanent-press” setting. No heat is supplied in the last few minutes, but drying continues as cool air is blown through tumbling clothes.
• Keep your dryer’s outside exhaust clean. A clogged exhaust lengthens drying time and increases energy use.