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Gas or electric dryer?

Posted on 12/24/23 at 12:44 pm
Posted by LanierSpots
Sarasota, Florida
Member since Sep 2010
69768 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 12:44 pm
We have always had electric dryers because that is what we have utilities for. New house is ready and is stubbed for either. Seems like gas is more prevalent down here

Any recommendations?
Posted by prestigeworldwide
Member since May 2018
401 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 2:15 pm to
We're building a new house and we're going gas. From what I've read, gas dryers heat up quicker and are more energy efficient. We have electric now but have had gas in all our previous houses.
Posted by BilbeauTBaggins
probably stuck in traffic
Member since May 2021
7664 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 3:13 pm to
They are better and cost about $100/per unit more. I wanted gas but didn’t want to spend the extra money having to run a bunch of lines and paying a plumber to make my utility/washer closet look anymore jacked up than it needs to be.

If the price of gas in your area is relatively cheap, it’s worth the investment. Gas will heat up faster at a lower energy usage (not sure how to sound scientifically smart) and you I believe you might only need a standard outlet. Might be wrong on the second part.

When we converted our stove to gas it switched from a 240v to 120v.
Posted by kengel2
Team Gun
Member since Mar 2004
33535 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 3:16 pm to
I'd do gas.
Posted by LanierSpots
Sarasota, Florida
Member since Sep 2010
69768 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 3:28 pm to
quote:

If the price of gas in your area is relatively cheap, it’s worth the investment. Gas will heat up faster at a lower energy usage (not sure how to sound scientifically smart) and you I believe you might only need a standard outlet. Might be wrong on the second part.



No, you are correct. I checked the specs on a Maytag and the gas dryer only requires 120vac

I have been doing some research today and I think you are correct. I think we are going with gas. Some pretty good sales going on right now at Costco.

Thanks.
Posted by Hopeful Doc
Member since Sep 2010
15388 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 3:42 pm to
Had a Samsung gas dryer. 5y in, house smelled like gas. Had someone replace the valve. Still smelled like gas.


Bought a speed queen electric because they didn’t have a gas available.
Posted by LanierSpots
Sarasota, Florida
Member since Sep 2010
69768 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 4:03 pm to
quote:

Had a Samsung gas dryer. 5y in, house smelled like gas. Had someone replace the valve. Still smelled like gas.




My wife is not a fan of Samsung appliances. I think she is pretty set on Maytag. Front loader. Costco has some great sales on Samsung right not but she wont talk about it.



quote:

Bought a speed queen electric because they didn’t have a gas available.



We have always had electric because thats all the hook ups we have had.
Posted by BilbeauTBaggins
probably stuck in traffic
Member since May 2021
7664 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 4:36 pm to
My old Samsung washer, fridge, and dishwasher all had an issue that led me to replacing them. Samsung is awful if it's not a TV or phone.
Posted by CrawDude
Baton Rouge
Member since Apr 2019
5693 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 5:22 pm to
I recently replaced an electric dryer (Whirlpool Cabrio went on the fritz after 10 years but I was happy with it and had no complaints) with a gas dryer (Speed Queen DR5) - I was set up for either gas or electric. All my major appliances - range, oven, HVAC furnace, and water heaters - are natural gas.

I do prefer gas, but the main determining factor for me was that I would be able to operate the gas dryer in the house when needed on a larger portable generator during multi day power outages, and this wasn’t possible with an electric dryer as I don’t have a whole house standby generator.

Yes, gas dryer drum motor is 120V, electric dryer is going to be 240 V with the high watt resistance heating element.
This post was edited on 12/24/23 at 5:25 pm
Posted by Possumslayer
Pascagoula
Member since Jan 2018
6474 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 5:40 pm to
Probably unfounded but flame and lint spooks me
Posted by Turnblad85
Member since Sep 2022
4652 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 9:36 pm to
If by "gas" you mean natural gas, then sure, get a gas dryer and save a chunk on energy costs. When comparing cost of operation of electric vs propane then difference is negligible so I'd go electric in that case. Gas of any kind is probably a bit faster to dry if that for some reason matters to you.

The point about being able to operate a gas dryer with a generator is a good point and something to consider especially if you are living more rural.
Posted by Spankum
Miss-sippi
Member since Jan 2007
60633 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 10:08 pm to
If I had gas connections in my house, I’d go with gas clothes dryer in a heartbeat. Gas dries clothes much faster than electricity. Check with your local gas utility to see if there are any incentives.
Posted by Hopeful Doc
Member since Sep 2010
15388 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 10:39 pm to
quote:

Probably unfounded but flame and lint spooks me



Should scare you as much as flame and cotton clothing.
The flame occurs underneath the dryer. The heat from the flame is blown in and dries the clothes.
The exhaust is where the lint is trapped.


There’s not a scenario where the flame and lint combine that didn’t already have the flame already in an uncontrolled state. Or in other words, if you’re scared of “gas appliances exploding,” then it’s founded (though that’s a pretty rare occurrence). But specifically because the lint would catch fire? Probably not possible without 3-6ft of the surrounding area also already being on fire and all the clothes already in the dryer.
Posted by Hopeful Doc
Member since Sep 2010
15388 posts
Posted on 12/24/23 at 10:56 pm to
quote:

gas dryer (Speed Queen DR5) - I was set up for either gas or electric



I have the electric version of this now. I have a 220 + gas hook up (and standard dual 110v). I wish there had been a gas one available in either of my local Speed Queen dealers, but no such luck, and the wife did not allow for any more time without a dryer (the repair process that failed and roughly totaled the cost of the entire damn dryer had already taken 2 weeks)

quote:

I do prefer gas, but the main determining factor for me was that I would be able to operate the gas dryer in the house when needed on a larger portable generator during multi day power outages, and this wasn’t possible with an electric dryer as I don’t have a whole house standby generator.

We put a whole home in a couple years ago. Water heaters, stove, heater, dryer being gas gave me the option of a “smaller” unit or a “bigger” one. My measured, real-world startup amperage was right around the max that the “smaller” unit would tolerate. Went with the bigger. Switched to the electric dryer after the fact. I’ve only had one outage since, and it was only a couple hours. But, being the total nerd that I am, I went and watched my power draw as I made my wife turn on/off various appliances. Fun task. It was a good, hot August day. I was drawing a cool 11.5kW (all 3 AC units running, and otherwise just “living like normal.” Then I had her flip on 2 ovens, microwave, and the dryer. I doubled my draw- 23.2kW. Sort of fun to know that even with this added ‘stress’ on the generator that I could still host Thanksgiving/Christmas at my house and not start to brown out.
Posted by DownshiftAndFloorIt
Here
Member since Jan 2011
71079 posts
Posted on 12/25/23 at 8:28 am to
Gas is always the answer
Posted by bapple
Capital City
Member since Oct 2010
12194 posts
Posted on 12/25/23 at 9:24 am to
I have a speed Queen gas dryer and it does a great job drying. The only part of the design that wasn’t taken into account with the heating element is the location. The heating element on an electric is in the back of the drum so it never touches lint. The flame in the gas version is in the bottom and gravity is undefeated. I have to vacuum mine out every 6 months or so but I keep a tab in the laundry room.



Different manufacturers have different designs so this is probably taken into account with others.

Having said all that, gas is still more efficient. Electric requires multiple conversions of energy (gas at power plant, electricity via utility line and electricity in the heating element). A gas drier simply utilizes the energy in the gas directly rather than converting it multiple times.

quote:

Gas will heat up faster at a lower energy usage (not sure how to sound scientifically smart) and you I believe you might only need a standard outlet.


Refer to my statement above - this is correct. And yes you will only need 120V for the drum motor and it will consume considerably less electricity.
Posted by num1lsufan
Meraux
Member since Feb 2004
1562 posts
Posted on 12/29/23 at 5:05 am to
Gas for the Win
Posted by LSUDad
Still on the move
Member since May 2004
61930 posts
Posted on 12/30/23 at 12:04 pm to
Anytime you heat with electrical power, it cost more than natural gas.
Posted by Arkapigdiesel
Faulkner County
Member since Jun 2009
15431 posts
Posted on 1/2/24 at 1:07 am to
quote:

Gas or electric dryer?

Gas. All day, every day. I miss the shite out of our gas dryer.

We bought our house a little over a year ago, and the only fossil fuel option we have is propane. I don't want to mess with being dependent on a propane truck delivering propane to an empty tank. If we ever have natural gas run to our home (like our old house), I'll switch our stove top and dryer to gas again.

A gas dryer is the way to go.
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