When it comes to trying to save a little money many of us try a lot of things. Energy prices are higher than ever and this can wreck havoc on our monthly budget. There are some things however that we try that can actually cost us more money in the end. One of these things is trying to double up loads of clothes in the dryer. Let’s look at why this is not a good idea or a cost effective one either.
Dryer Tips | Coin-Op Laundry Raleigh NC
The first thing to look at is our actual dryer. Did you know that every dryer has a capacity? Some have lets say a 7 cubic foot drum. The problem for us is this does not mean we are to stuff 7 cubic feet of our laundry into this space. Often we will cram it as full as we can stuff it right? This is a big problem. Some dryer manufacturers will offer an idea of how much is enough but these specs can be a little misleading.
If you are drying children’s clothes then those specs might be handy. When it comes to adult clothing its just common sense to know that they weigh more and are much more bulky. If you have a large load of towels it is actually more cost effective to dry them in two loads. This is because if your fabric is already heavier then the added weight of water makes them very heavy.
A good rule of thumb is that if your laundry fills 2/3 of the drum or more it is overloaded. Fill the dryer drum no more than 1/2 full and your dryer will thank you. There are many reasons for doing this. The biggest being dryer malfunction or total breakdown. When a dryer is loaded too full then the pulley on the dryers motor tries to turn the entire time of the dryers cycle. The resulting friction will cause the eventual burn through of the belt turning the dryers drum. Your dryers pulley can also break. This may not occur immediately but after many loads of heavy laundry it will.
Of course the costs of repair parts may not be overly expensive but the labor costs are expensive. You must also consider the time you will be without a dryer. This we know is the worst part of the breakdown. Laundry piles up faster it seems when you are out of your normal routine. Dryer belts can and will break down normally over a period of time. If this is happening every few months then you should know that you are loading the dryer way to full and heavy. Your dryer is having to work way to hard to dry your clothes. Adjust the loads accordingly.
Another breakdown problem is your dryers motor. When the motor is worked way to hard it to will burn out sooner than you would like. This is also a really expensive repair and not only are labor costs high but a motor replacement is expensive as well. Sometimes this can even mean its cheaper to replace the dryer verses fixing it. A real expensive lesson to learn!
If you overload your dryer this will mean more wrinkles, not drying properly, and the lint builds up faster. This lint buildup can be a fire hazard so pay attention and empty your lint screen after each load. We hope these helpful hints will encourage you to fill your dryer properly to avoid any expensive repair costs.
If you find yourself in need of some laundry catch-up help give Laundry Express a call. We can help you get your laundry clean and ready to go quickly. Stop by today!
