Most people don’t think too much about the time of day they’re running home appliances. You probably start the dishwasher or the laundry whenever you have a few free minutes, right? But running your appliances at certain times could save you a bit of money on your energy bill. Experts say the cheapest time to use the dryer is often in the early morning or late evening, since these may be your service provider’s off-peak hours. If you’re a morning person, consider waking up 15 minutes early and starting a load of laundry before you get into the rhythm of the day. Or if you’re a night owl, consider starting a load after the rest of the house has gone to bed. That said, safety experts say you should never leave a dryer running unattended, so don’t start a load if you’re running out the door in the morning or about to head to bed yourself.
Off-peak hours may vary between service providers and can change with the seasons, so check your utility company’s website or give them a call to find up-to-date information. Below, experts explain how doing laundry during off-peak hours can help you save money and share other tips for reducing your energy bill. If you’re looking for other ways to save money on laundry costs, read up on our editor-approved laundry hack.
How off-peak hours work:
Depending on where you live, your energy company might charge you less to use your dryer during non-peak hours.
During the summer, most off-peak hours fall between the late evening to early morning (9 p.m. to 8 a.m.), and in the winter, mid-day to early afternoon (noon to 2:30 p.m.), and then late evening to early morning (9 p.m. to 8 a.m.). Although, it will be different depending on your utility provider and where you live.
For instance, SRP, which provides service to central Arizona customers, offers an off-peak price plan rate of 9.03 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) (versus 22.89 cents on-peak) in May, June, September and October, and 8.91 cents (versus 12.09 cents) off-peak from November through April. (The peak hours are 2 to 8 p.m. from May to October; and 5 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. from November to April).
ConEdison, which serves New York City and Westchester County, has off-peak hours from midnight to 7 a.m. The rate is 5.22 cents per kWh.
Some companies, however, include a surprising monthly meter charge. For instance, I called PSEG’s customer service department (which serves New Jersey), and was told that in order to get the off-peak hour rate, I’d need to have a Residential Load Management meter installed on my property. There’s a one-year commitment and a monthly meter charge of $15, although there’s no installation fee.
“We’d love to see utility providers stop charging consumers for the smart meter, since they benefit too from all the data they’re able to collect from the connected devices,” says Dan DiClerico, Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. DiClerico adds that utility companies with the highest adoption rates of time-of-use plans tend to do the best job of teaching customers how to benefit from the technology.
DiClierico also notes that the pricing isn’t perfect, and it certainly won’t work for everyone (especially people who are working during off-peak hours). That said, it might be worth giving your local energy company a call to discuss its off-peak plans, or do a little research on their website to confirm what’s available in your area.
Other ways to reduce your energy bill when doing laundry:
See these helpful tips from the cleaning experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute and the U.S. Department of Energy:
- Even though you should read clothing care labels, you can typically wash items in cold water.
- Clean your dryer’s lint filter after every load. It helps to maintain your dryer’s performance and prevent fires from lint build-up.
- Don’t make your dryer work harder than it has to. Avoid over-drying your clothing.
- When the weather permits, dry your clothes outside. No yard? A clothes drying rack in a sunny indoor spot will do the trick.
- GH’s cleaning pros swear by the “shake method” when drying clothes. Simply shake each item before you place it into the dryer. This prevents your laundry from balling up, which will make items dry much faster and more evenly.
Keep in mind that demand drives energy costs. So, if people are using their appliances more in the warm-weather months, chances are they’re being hit with a higher energy bill compared to the winter season. That said, it’s always a good idea to try to decrease your energy use and keep more money in your wallet while you’re at it.
Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand’s home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, “What’s in My Cart.”
Source: Home Ideas - goodhousekeeping.com
