Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Green Choices Wednesday

Today's Green Tip:

Cleaning your dryer's lint filter can slash its energy usage by as much as 30%!

~Source: sierraclub.org
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5 comments:

Don said...

Are they suggesting that some people don't clean their filters? If I don't clean mine after every load, the next load never gets dry!

Here's another tip: If you live in cooler parts of the country, vent your dryer outside during the hot months, but vent it inside in the winter. That way, the heat and moisture stays in your house.

To keep the lint that gets around the built-in filter from getting into the air, put a nylon stocking or one leg from a pair of pantyhose over the vent hose and fasten it with a rubber band.

Another way to keep your house from becoming too dry in the winter is to turn off the heating element in the dishwasher and open it up after the rinse cycle allowing the moisture to disperse into the air.

To moisturize the air in bedrooms, set a container of water on the floor registers (if you have forced-air central heating). A couple of drops of scented oil in the water can save you from having to buy those disposable air freshener things.

October 27, 2010 at 11:55 AM
Vern said...

I'll bet there are a fair number of people that don't always think to clean the lint filter between every load. A simple thing that has a big effect on efficiency!

That sounds smart to use dryer heat and moisture inside the house when it's cold and dry. After almost 30 years in the south, I remember well how very very dry it gets up there in winter! Most winter days, the home needs more humidity. The air is dry anyway, and having to run the furnace continuously because of freezing temps dries out what little humidity is left. Many people run humidifiers, which you reduce the need for by using dryer moisture.

Many gulf coast natives around here have never heard of a humidifier. Humidity is pervasive and omnipresent almost year around.

We only run our furnace a few days a year. A few winter days it gets chilly in the house, but not so much that we can't stand it with a warm long-sleeve shirt or sweatshirt. On cool days like that, we leave the oven door open after baking to recover the residual heat into the room. Never really gets so dry that the dryer moisture wouldn't make the house too humid.

October 27, 2010 at 5:33 PM
Anonymous said...

Thanks for adding me to your blogroll, and thanks for the words of encouragement! I ran pretty regularly for about two years before I became pregnant with my son. (He's now 7 months old) So I know that I've got it in me! I really like your blog and look forward to reading it daily!
-Rachel

October 27, 2010 at 11:26 PM
Don said...

Yeah, I've spent enough time in Florida to know what it's like having high humidity all year, but most of the country is cool enough in winter to have the heat on for extended periods of time.

Since I live on a lake, the humidity is usually quite high in the summer. My problem is that I have to run a dehumidifier or I have trouble breathing. The dehumidifier not only costs a lot to run but puts out so much heat that the air conditioning runs more often. I wish there was a way to lower the humidity in the house without expending so much energy.

October 28, 2010 at 5:59 AM
Anne said...

I think you're right, Vern. My college kids once told me their dryer was broken when it turned out they'd never cleaned the lint filter. I'm compulsive about it myself. Glad it's saving energy too.

October 28, 2010 at 8:30 AM

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