Cost of electricity to do a load of wash in HOT water?

[Quiver0f10]

Would anyone know this? Also, how much it cost to dry a load of laundry in an electric dryer? I am looking for ballpark figures here, doesn't have to be exact.

Thanks!

[caballoviejo]

I'm clueless. However, I sorely wish that the Dept. of Energy would sponsor the fabrication of some small in-line (between the outlet and the plug-in) device which would accurately meter electrical consumption on individual appliances.

[nodak3]

Don't know exactly. In ND where we had electric hot water at 8 cents per kwh I do know that I saved about $20 per month with all cold wash for two people. And the dryer at that rate cost me about another $20 per month. (Figure 5-7 loads per week.)

[agmantoo]

The cost to do 30 loads per month in an electric dryer based on $.0736 per kilowatt is $6.71 or 22 cents per load.

The cost to operate the washing machine and to heat the water electrically for the wash based on $.0736 per kilowatt also comes to 22 cents rounded off per load.

Ironing for a total of 8 hours based on the $.0736 per kilowatt price is 59 cents.

[RobinAnn]

Originally Posted by agmantoo

Ironing for a total of 8 hours based on the $.0736 per kilowatt price is 59 cents.

Ironing is way too expensive! :haha:

[bare]

Originally Posted by agmantoo

The cost to do 30 loads per month in an electric dryer based on $.0736 per kilowatt is $6.71 or 22 cents per load.

The cost to operate the washing machine and to heat the water electrically for the wash based on $.0736 per kilowatt also comes to 22 cents rounded off per load.

Ironing for a total of 8 hours based on the $.0736 per kilowatt price is 59 cents.

I thought that sounded pretty low...so I did a bit of googling and came up with this site that has a calculator for different appliances:

http://www.csgnetwork.com/elecenergycalcs.html

Based on electric cost of just a tad over ten cents/Kwh it will cost you 22.16 for 30 washer loads or 74 cents a load, using hot wash warm rinse.

[ThreeJane]

Originally Posted by Quiver0f9

Would anyone know this? Also, how much it cost to dry a load of laundry in an electric dryer? I am looking for ballpark figures here, doesn't have to be exact.

Thanks!

(singsong) Methinks someone is washing cloth diapers...



Remember, you can always dry 'em out in the sunshine on a line or, if you really want, on a line in the basement!

[halfpint]

Originally Posted by caballoviejo

I'm clueless. However, I sorely wish that the Dept. of Energy would sponsor the fabrication of some small in-line (between the outlet and the plug-in) device which would accurately meter electrical consumption on individual appliances.

Actually there is such a device, I don't know if you could buy one individually, but the power company has one that can be plugged in and tell your power usage. They used to use them in this area for home energy audits - I don't even know if the power company here still offers these. However I do believe that the companies that inspect homes use them also, so they may be available somewhere.

I have never done this (but have considered it) to reduce the power usage of your washer and if you can put a drain in the floor of your laundry area, remove the washer water pump and hook the drain line to the floor drain. I have heard of people doing this on washers in the past, I'm not sure if it would work on the new electronic type washers without some reprogramming.

[sisterpine]

The first load is about ten thousand dollars, ten years later the last load will be about ten cents! the thing you plug in to determine the power usage is called a "kill o watt" and one can be had on ebay for about 30 bucks. First load is cost of solar equipment going in LOL and last load is the load you wash when you have paid off all of the solar stuff !

[Cindy in PA]

My dryer is 21 years old, but it says 5600 watts and it takes a load about one hour or more, so it would be 5.6 KW. That comes out to $12+ for 30 loads. Maybe new ones are more efficient??? Don't know what the washer takes. There again it depends on hot water. My washer only rinses in cold water. The things that measure usage san be found online at a couple different places and I thought they were $30 new, but would have to check.

[WisJim]

Originally Posted by caballoviejo

I'm clueless. However, I sorely wish that the Dept. of Energy would sponsor the fabrication of some small in-line (between the outlet and the plug-in) device which would accurately meter electrical consumption on individual appliances.

A number of companies make small watt-hour meters costing between $40 and $120 or so, just for this purpose. "Kill-a-watt" is the one that I have at home.

Jim

[Wannabee]

Originally Posted by Cindy in PA

My dryer is 21 years old, but it says 5600 watts and it takes a load about one hour or more, so it would be 5.6 KW. That comes out to $12+ for 30 loads. Maybe new ones are more efficient??? Don't know what the washer takes. There again it depends on hot water. My washer only rinses in cold water. The things that measure usage san be found online at a couple different places and I thought they were $30 new, but would have to check.

Cindy,

New ones are a LOT more effiecient - go to your local appliance dealer. You can even buy a "new" used one about 3-4 years old and still save a lot of money..........

[caballoviejo]

Thanks all of you who volunteered the information about the metering devices!