Ask Focus on Energy

Clothes dryers are one of the few appliances that are not ENERGY STAR qualified.

As you've discovered, ENERGY STAR does not have a standard for clothes dryers so here are some tips to make drying more energy efficient:

• Look for clothes dryers with a moisture sensor that will turn off automatically when the clothes are dry.
• Run back to back dryer loads to save a small amount of energy.
• ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers, such as front loaders, remove more water from the clothes. Since less drying time is required, these are actually your best opportunity to save dryer energy.
• When you install your dryer, remember that a short, smooth dryer duct allows the dryer to remove moisture faster. Replace flex-ducts with rigid metal duct, screwed together at the joints and sealed.
  
• Optimize the efficiency of any dryer by clearing lint from the filter before each load, and clearing lint and dust from the venting system, the interior of the dryer and from the back.
• Use an outdoor clothesline especially in the summer.