7 hours Dehumidifier + 30 mins dryer// V.S. //1.5 hour dryer

[Ohlife2020]

Has anyone done the research to know which way is better?

I'm currently struggling to keep up with all the washing and drying process while everything is drying damp indoors.

So far I've been setting the washing machine to finish washing just before 7am and then air dry them indoors during the day before having to pop them in the dryer to finish off just after mid-night (off peak) - our electrical contract offers cheaper rate at that time. Because of the humidity built up in the day, I need run the dehumidifier (250kw input power) over night for about 7 hours.

First this is pretty exhausting, as I have to wait the clean clothes finish drying before I can put dirty clothes in to run at night. All this happens after mid-night. Not ideal! Secondly, I start to wonder if the dehumidifier costs more to run for such long hours. I guess I may find a vague answer if I do my research online, but just wonder if anyone here knows better.

Last night, I read something says it costs £1 for dehumidify to run for 12 hours. Obviously, it depends on the size and efficiency of the unit.

Would appreciate some insights!

I'd just run the dehumidifier on drying setting with the clothes close by, it seems crazy to run a tumble dryer then have to run the dehumidifier to soak up the moisture created by it.
I can dry a load of clothes with the dehumidifier in about 4 hours with a bit of maneuvering them about.

Run a normal tabletop fan pointed at the washing at the same time as the dehumidifier. It only takes a few watts and speeds up the drying process massively. We usually dry a full load in 3 to 4 hours that way.

It depends on how many loads you have to do a week I think. I have a massive drying rack from Amazon which fits 1/2 loads. I leave it for 12/24 hours just removing things overnight if I need to. Ours is in a room with a shower so vented. I then use the tumble drier if I need to to stop the washing backing up (every 3/4th load).

@Cyclistmumgrandma good idea. It also just occurred to me that our drying rack is horizontally laid out. So it might mean those with arrangement vertically might dry clothes faster as more exposed... 🤔 Maybe I need to replace the drying rack..

My washing machine on eco mode takes a stupidly low amount of kWh, I think about 0.6. That equates to about 20p a wash on the 35p tariff.

A 250W (not kW!) dehumidifier would take 9p an hour at the 35p an hour tariff (0.25x0.35) = 0.0875, or about £1 for 12 hours if you are on the 35p rate, but economy 7 is cheaper.

You need more info to do the true calculation.

I would not be arsed to stay up to midnight to faff around with washing. I would just set both the machine and dehumidifier to run overnight only on the cheap rate. Mind you, I don't care if some of my washing stinks a bit from being left in the machine all day - the airing cupboard normally gets rid of that and the machine is in the cold garage.

Oh, amazing, @GasPanic ! Thank you!

We don't have a separate space to dry clothes - all in the lounge... They just seem never dry properly unless I finish them with the washer dryer - they stink if I put them away not properly dried. We used to have an utility room where we dried clothes before extension (part of the lounge area now), when I seemed rarely have the issue - but didn't have to wash everyday - smaller family.

Our shower room doesn't is too small to have the drying rack in there. But I get what you are saying. I do have to do a full load of wash everyday - thought about to wash school uniforms every other day (now daily), but with all the bugs and sickness circulating in the school these days, I really don't dare to reduce the cleaning frequency.

Do an extra spin in the washing machine before hanging out.

My dehumidifier costs about 6p an hour to run. Not sure about a tumble dryer as I've not used mine in months.
I stick the dehumidifier in my understair cupboard with the clothes hanging on coat hangers on a tail above.
I can dry two loads in 7 hours costing around about 45p.

That should say rail, not tail.

@Edinvillian , thanks for sharing. This does make sense: drying clothes in smaller enclosure to trap humidity before it's all removed by dehumidifier... Mine is in the space downstairs with an open plan = lounge & kitchen all together. I guess this made it harder for the dehumidifier to maximise its efficiency.

I always wonder if I use 1400rpm would reduce the life of the washer 😂Currently only use 1200rpm. So maybe I shall ramp up the spin!

Found this article talking about the costs to run a washing cycle and the power consumption of different mode. Worth looking at, but drying is not mentioned.

inthewash.co.uk/laundry-and-ironing/cost-to-wash-clothes-uk/

Would you say your understairs cupboard is warm?

I have a 1600 rpm machine (opening boast in washing machine speed war).

It is cool. I thought 1600 rpm it would shake itself to bits but it runs much smoother than the old one I had at 1000 rpm. I think the modern ones are much better balanced and ramp up slowly. It purrs along at 1600.

I wouldn't want to use it on delicate stuff at that speed though. Just crap low cost joggers and other stuff I buy from Amazon.

I'm always wary of using the 1400 for that reason too. Don't want to wear the poor old machine out.

I thought I was the only weirdo doing this! It really does make a difference in a large room.

(When I was drying clothes in a tiny room it got toasty and dehumidifier's own fan circulated air so well the extra fan wasn't needed.)

Clever idea that I hadn't thought of.

I wonder because my dehumidifer expels the air at the top. It creates quite a draft. Maybe I can come up with some arrangement where it pushes the air back over the washing to increase the drying rate. Probably this is what helps in a small room, the air circulation as well as the confinement.

I do the extra spin thing as well.

I typically run mixed loads as I have so little to wash, then at the end I fish out anything slightly fussy and hit the towels, jeans, etc, with a top spin. It's all more work... but not as much work as staying up past midnight to do laundry.

Principles to live by:

– all water has to leave the house somehow, and directly down the drain is usually more efficient and cheaper than into the air and then out of the air again via dehumidifier (although into the air and out of a window/extractor vent is also good during the non-heating season)

– doing heating or cooling almost always uses more electricity than doing something mechanical, like a fan or spin. It's the heating the water which is the major cost of running your washing machine. This is why "eco" programmes try to use less water and lower temps, and just soak for longer.

I found this article pretty interesting on the benefits of spin speed.

www.whitegoodshelp.co.uk/washing-machine-spin-speed-efficiency/

The only thing that isn't mentioned to me is the benefit of having less water in your house through the spin drying process.

For me the problems caused by winter are as much about humidity as warmth.

Trying to tackle a humidity problem by cranking up the rads is pretty inefficient, and if you do have a humidity issue getting more water out via the spin becomes increasingly worthwhile.

All make perfect sense. I now wish I could dry the clothes in DC2's tiny bedroom 😂Probably will have to stick to managing it downstairs. Will give it a try by cramping everything up into the bathroom with a dehumidifier running next to the door - as I won't be able to shut the door with the rack inside...

The principle of taking water out going straight to drain is obvious but I neglected it! Thanks for this! @PerkingFaintly .

@carefulcalculator
The cupboard is warm when the dehumidifier is on but not when it isn't. It actually also warms up the hallway which is where my thermostat is, sometimes my heating for the house doesn't come on if I've been running the dehumidifier as it hasn't dropped to a low enough temperature in the hall to trigger it.

@Ohlife2020
@Edinvillian , thanks for sharing. This does make sense: drying clothes in smaller enclosure to trap humidity before it's all removed by dehumidifier... Mine is in the space downstairs with an open plan = lounge & kitchen all together. I guess this made it harder for the dehumidifier to maximise its efficiency

I had that issue which is why I converted the cupboard. It seemed to take ages before as it was removing the steam from the kitchen and also moisture from our living area