Why You Should Run Your Laundry Dryer At Night During Summer Months

With summer heat comes air conditioning, and with air conditioning comes higher energy bills. If you're looking for ways to reduce your energy costs at home this summer, then you may want to wait until after sundown to throw your laundry in the dryer. Running your dryer during the day may come with some unexpected costs. It may even be increasing the temperature inside your home, which you probably want to avoid on those sizzling summer days.

Running your dryer at night may be the key to keeping your energy bills down this summer. However, there are important things to keep in mind before you give this a try. There are several other energy-efficient ways to dry your laundry in the summertime that will help you save money and preserve the condition of your machine and clothes. Without further delay, let's dive into the benefits and considerations of drying your laundry at night. 

Keeping your house cool in the summertime is costly enough, and your dryer may be making matters worse. Your dryer may not run as efficiently in the summer, especially in a humid climate. That's because the dew point increases the moisture inside of the drum of your dryer. Excess moisture means that the dryer will have to work harder and use more energy to dry your clothing. By using your dryer at night, you can avoid running it during "peak" hours, or when electricity is most in-demand and expensive. In general, it is best to avoid using major appliances when prices per kilowatt hour (kWh) are at their highest. 

Depending on its condition, your dryer may also be increasing the temperature of your home while it is running. Dryer vents that are clogged could cause the temperature in your home to rise and put greater strain on your machine, not to mention your air conditioner. In addition to running your dryer at night when temperatures are cooler, it is also wise to keep your dryer vents clear to avoid unnecessary wear and tear.

It's worth noting that running your dryer overnight while you're asleep can be dangerous and should be avoided. If you are drying your clothes at night, ensure that you are awake and monitoring your machine. Dryer fires are especially common in the summer during high heat, and leaving your appliances unattended increases the risk.

In addition to running your dryer during off-peak hours, there are other tricks you can use to spend less money on laundry in the summer. If you have multiple loads, consider doing them back to back. This will allow the machine to retain the heat from the previous load and use less energy to reach its optimal drying temperature.

Another simple way to save on your electricity bill in the warmer months is to make use of the summer breeze to air-dry your clothing. Air drying is an excellent way to preserve the condition of your clothes too. In fact, it's generally a good idea to give your clothes a break from the dryer once in a while to keep them in good shape. However, certain garments such as sweatpants and sweatshirts, as well as dark and bright colors, could become damaged in the sun.

There are plenty of handy tricks you can use to save money doing laundry. Avoid overfilling your dryer and mixing your load with bulky and light items. Make use of settings, such as cool down and low heat to conserve energy. Plus, dryer balls are a major energy-saver and will also keep your clothes wrinkle-free.