Published: Sunday, July 13, 2008
Save a Buck: Hang clothes outside to dry
What's your line? It's not a year-round solution, but on sunny days or even cloudy days without a threat of rain, hanging your clothes out to dry can save a little money and put you in touch with your inner June Cleaver.
The pluses: You'll save a little energy, some wear and tear on your clothes and your dryer, and you'll use fewer dryer sheets, but still get that breeze-fresh scent. If you're really into this, you can buy indoor set-ups so you can drip-dry any time of year.
What you'll save: Admittedly, not a lot. The U.S. Department of Energy's energy efficiency Web site, www.eere.energy.gov, says most clothes dryers run at 1,500 to 5,000 watts. If you want to do the math, it offers a formula for figuring out what your dryer and other household appliances cost to operate over the course of a year. The average dryer costs about $85 a year to operate, but that will vary depending on how much laundry you do. So, for a few summer months, you could save a few bucks.
Jon Bauer, Herald staff
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