Clotheslines. Things you should know!

Let’s talk about clotheslines for a second. There is a reason your great-grandmother based laundry days on the weather. Hanging clothes to dry is not only more economical, it is also the original source of “clean fresh” laundry scent! Did you know that clothes dryers consume between 2000-6000W? Let’s take the average and say that your clothes dryer uses 4000W (4kW) of electricity. If we do some simple math calculations we’ll discover that the average dryer, doing 3 loads of laundry each week, costs Nova Scotians $93.60 each year. 

4kW x 1hr/load = 4kWh

4kWh x $0.15 = $0.60/load

$0.60 x 3 loads/wk = $1.80

$1.80/wk x 52 weeks = $93.60/yr

Remember that number will go up if you do more than 3 loads per week and if your dryer consumes more than 4000W. 

It takes a lot of energy to run a dryer and in Nova Scotia that energy is primarily produced using non-renewable resources like coal that contribute to carbon emissions and climate change. On top of saving money and cutting emissions, a clothesline is gentler on your clothes, keeps whites whiter, and reduces the risk of electrical fires caused by dryers.

If you have a small space or live in a part of the city that doesn’t allow clotheslines, drying racks are another option with all the same benefits. They can be used indoors or on a porch.

https://www.efficiencyns.ca/tools-resources/tip/why-you-should-use-a-clothesline/

https://www.directenergy.com/learning-center/how-much-energy-dryer-use