While there may be a certain nostalgia associated to hanging clothes on the backyard clothesline, as many of us remember our mothers doing, today there’s a faster, more convenient way. These days, most American homes come standard with a clothes dryer. In a market sometimes overwhelmed with questionable consumer buzz and constantly changing bells and whistles, however, the question is: which one is the best fit for you? Here are afew important differentiators between the two most common types of clothes dryers: natural gas and non-gas.

Drying Times

Speed is one of the biggest drivers surrounding the popularity of natural gas dryers. In fact, natural gas dryers dry clothes nearly twice as fast as their electric counterparts, enabling homeowners to do double the loads in half the time. Another bonus? Natural gas dryers automatically help reduce wrinkles for even more time-savings.

Cost To Operate

While natural gas is more efficient as far as speed, it’s also more efficient in terms of conserving energy. Natural gas dryers only use 30,000 BTUs of gas per hour, in fact, costing around $.35-.40 per hour to operate. Compare this to electric dryers, which use 5,500 watts or 5.5 kilowatts per hour, and have a ballpark operating cost of $.60-.68 per hour. 

Clothing Wear-And-Tear

Natural gas heat is gentler on clothes, which helps extend the lifespan of fabrics. Furthermore, many natural gas models also feature moisture sensors, which prevent clothes from “overcooking”—and keep your wardrobe looking its best!

Purchase Price

Comparing apples to apples, a natural gas dryer is slightly more to purchase than a non-gas dryer, but comparable models are usually within $50 of each other. Not to mention, once you factor in the day-to-day cost-savings of a natural gas clothes dryer, the difference in purchase price quickly makes up for itself. One more thing worth noting is that many natural gas utilities provide rebates to offset the cost of including a natural gas clothes dryer. Florida Public Utilities offers up to $150 in rebates, as a matter of fact.

Energy-Saving Resources

Learn individualized ways to save energy in your laundry room, as well as the rest of your home, visit the Energy Experts at Florida Public Utilities.  Click on the icon below to conduct a Free Online Energy Evaluation. Or see if you qualify to receive expert advice in-person with a Free Energy Check-Up! (Free Weatherization Kits may also be available.)