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Here where I live a lot of people use propane for hot water and propane for stoves. I use propane for my stove.
Electricity is about 10 times more than propane for a stove. My stove costs me about $3 a month to operate with propane. I don't do a LOT of cooking.
Anyway, so I just realized there is an option to buy a propane powered clothes dryer and it's exactly the same model (Whirlpool or GE) and exactly the same cost. The only difference is the power - propane vs. electricity.
Anyone used both and have a preference in terms of how well it does the job? If everything else were the same I would go with propane because it will be a LOT cheaper to operate here with propane. Plus easier than installing a new 220 electric line.
Also I was told it would not take one of those big 6 feet tall gas tanks. Those scare me and are a pain to get out to where I live. I use the little 3 feet tall ones for my stove and I'm told one of those will last me probably 6 months if I only dry clothes once a week. So no big deal... that's about how long my tanks last for cooking. Even if it were 3 months, that would be okay.
The tank will be outside the house on the other side of the wall from the dryer. In 5 years using propane for my stove I've never had any issue except once, one leaked a little . I would never put one INSIDE the house! But many people do.
I have no idea how well propane dryers work, but I assume just like any other gas dryers. They tend to work better than electric dryers and save money overall. It sounds like a no brainer since installing electric will require them to run a line across the house. From what I’ve heard, gas models do tend to cost a little bit more, but it isn’t substantial. The difference is usually something you can make up in a year or two of use- probably a year for you with the costs. My gas dryer dries a lot faster than the electric ones I’ve had.
I had a natural gas powered dryer in my previous home. The main benefit that comes to mind is in the case of a power outage, I was able to plug in the 110 cord right into an extension cord and run it on the generator. After a hurricane, I was the only house in the area who could dry my clothes.
Go to a laundromat and use the driers there. If your nose is sensitive at all, you will smell a distinct burnt smell. Electric driers don't commonly have that.
For me, lint + flame = no way would I EVER have one anywhere but in an inexpensive outbuilding. Mind you, I use an unvented propane heater and am not afraid of using gas. For me, this one is a no-brainer. Flame away
Here where I live a lot of people use propane for hot water and propane for stoves. I use propane for my stove.
Electricity is about 10 times more than propane for a stove. My stove costs me about $3 a month to operate with propane. I don't do a LOT of cooking.
Anyway, so I just realized there is an option to buy a propane powered clothes dryer and it's exactly the same model (Whirlpool or GE) and exactly the same cost. The only difference is the power - propane vs. electricity.
Anyone used both and have a preference in terms of how well it does the job? If everything else were the same I would go with propane because it will be a LOT cheaper to operate here with propane. Plus easier than installing a new 220 electric line.
Also I was told it would not take one of those big 6 feet tall gas tanks. Those scare me and are a pain to get out to where I live. I use the little 3 feet tall ones for my stove and I'm told one of those will last me probably 6 months if I only dry clothes once a week. So no big deal... that's about how long my tanks last for cooking. Even if it were 3 months, that would be okay.
The tank will be outside the house on the other side of the wall from the dryer. In 5 years using propane for my stove I've never had any issue except once, one leaked a little . I would never put one INSIDE the house! But many people do.
I've used natural gas, bottled propane and electric. Electric cost the most (obviously your local utility/fuel rates will affect all three). My previous dryer and stove ran off a 30 lb propane tank I had to swap out and haul for refill myself. I owned two tanks. When one ran out I'd just switch the line to the other tank and take the empty to get filled when convenient. For some unknown reason, a tank always seemed to need swapping after dark during a 2' snowstorm The Universe messing with me I guess. Didn't notice much if any difference in performance compared to natural gas. The capacity and efficiency of the dryer you have probably affects fuel use a lot. I typically did one "damp dry/hang to finish" cycle and one complete dry load a week plus modest cooking. It took about 3 months before a tank went dry. Don't know how long a bigger capacity tank would last if you aren't heating the house and your water with it.
Last edited by Parnassia; 09-27-2020 at 03:49 PM..
I've used natural gas, bottled propane and electric. Electric cost the most (obviously your local utility/fuel rates will affect all three). My previous dryer and stove ran off a 30 lb propane tank I had to swap out and haul for refill myself. I owned two tanks. When one ran out I'd just switch the connection to the other tank and take the empty to get filled when convenient. For some unknown reason, a tank always seemed to need swapping after dark during a 2' snowstorm The Universe messing with me I guess. Didn't notice much if any difference in performance compared to natural gas. The capacity and efficiency of the dryer you have probably affects fuel use a lot. I typically did one "damp dry/hang to finish" cycle and one complete dry load a week plus modest cooking. It took about 3 months before a tank went dry. Don't know how long a bigger capacity tank would last if you aren't heating the house and your water with it.
Thanks a lot for this response!
First, I use 2 of the 3ft tall or so tanks to use for heating only my range top (no oven) stove right now. I'll just be adding the dryer to the use of propane.
1. Do you think there is any real danger of fire in the house from flame and heat, as per the poster above?
I don't really know but I'd think if it were a real danger, they wouldn't sell them.
2. When you say a 30lb tank, is that the one that is about 12 " diameter and 3 or so feet tall, or is that the one that's about 5-6 feet tall? I have never known them referred to as the weight, I just say "the smaller one". LOL.
I use the same system as you I have 2 of the 3ft or so tall tanks and when my gas goes out (usually during a rain storm and after dark! I guess God loves playing this joke on people!) I just change it over to the other one and I'm good to go.
I would not have the propane tank in my house. The 2 I have are about 10 feet away from the house in a cage that I lock. Many people do have them in their kitchen here, but I don't like that particular idea. If I can easily route the gas to both the oven and dryer I'll use the same system I have now. If not then the gas tank for the dryer would be a separate 3ft tall one right outside on the other side of wall the dryer sits against, in the car port.
So I take it you like your gas powered dryer. What brand is it if you don't mind and how many lb or kilos does it wash?
I am looking at a GE made in Mexico or a Whirlpool made in USA or Whirlpool made in Mexico.
By the way, as to the other poster, the propane powered one is exactly the same price as the electric one here, about $525 new with 1 year warranty. That's the USA made Whirlpool.
The other options are GE and Mabe both made in Mexico.
Just fyi to anyone reading this post re appliances, I did buy a Whirlpool washer made in Colombia and it was horrible. Didn't wash well and broke down in the first year. I later heard that Whirlpool is no longer top rated for washers.
I was lucky to get my full credit back on it and traded it for a Samsung (the kind without the post in the middle, top loading) and I love it. Was thinking of buying a Samsung dryer but they're way more expensive than the Whirlpool and GE. So I'm leaning towards the USA made Whirlpool gas dryer.
Thanks again for the info!
Last edited by movingvanmorrison; 09-27-2020 at 04:03 PM..
Thanks a lot for this response! First, I use 2 of the 3ft tall or so tanks to use for heating only my range top (no oven) stove right now. I'll just be adding the dryer to the use of propane.
1. Do you think there is any real danger of fire in the house from flame and heat, as per the poster above?
If your dryer is properly vented away from where your propane tanks will sit, the tanks are fitted with the proper safety equipment,, and you don't burn anything or create sparks right next to the tank, why would you have a fire?
I don't really know but I'd think if it were a real danger, they wouldn't sell them.
2. When you say a 30lb tank, is that the one that is about 12 " diameter and 3 or so feet tall, or is that the one that's about 5-6 feet tall? I have never known them referred to as the weight, I just say "the smaller one". LOL.
Tanks differ in dimensions. My 30 lb tanks were about 18" in diameter and less than 3' tall. I've always referred to them by "pounds" or gallons which refers to the fuel, not the weight of the tank itself. Are you even in the USA?
I use the same system as you I have 2 of the 3ft or so tall tanks and when my gas goes out (usually during a rain storm and after dark! I guess God loves playing this joke on people!) I just change it over to the other one and I'm good to go.
I would not have the propane tank in my house. The 2 I have are about 10 feet away from the house in a cage that I lock. Many people do have them in their kitchen here, but I don't like that particular idea. If I can easily route the gas to both the oven and dryer I'll use the same system I have now. If not then the gas tank for the dryer would be a separate 3ft tall one right outside on the other side of wall the dryer sits against, in the car port.
So I take it you like your gas powered dryer. What brand is it if you don't mind and how many lb or kilos does it wash?
It was a stacking Maytag washer/dryer unit. I don't remember the capacity.
I am looking at a GE made in Mexico or a Whirlpool made in USA or Whirlpool made in Mexico.
By the way, as to the other poster, the propane powered one is exactly the same price as the electric one here, about $525 new with 1 year warranty. That's the USA made Whirlpool.
The other options are GE and Mabe both made in Mexico.
Just fyi to anyone reading this post re appliances, I did buy a Whirlpool washer made in Colombia and it was horrible. Didn't wash well and broke down in the first year. I later heard that Whirlpool is no longer top rated for washers.
The label may have read "Whirlpool" but they probably have a lot of other companies doing the fabrication in other locations under their name.
I was lucky to get my full credit back on it and traded it for a Samsung (the kind without the post in the middle, top loading) and I love it. Was thinking of buying a Samsung dryer but they're way more expensive than the Whirlpool and GE. So I'm leaning towards the USA made Whirlpool gas dryer.
I read some other info online and I'm pretty convinced that propane gas is the way for me to go. Almost certainly going to be much cheaper per month than electricity, and no need to install another 220 line.
Those are the main reasons. Also I like the idea they dry faster, or potentially do.
We had a propane dryer about 25 years ago and, from what I recall, I converted it from gas to propane with a kit. It was an older one and we did not use it for all that long, maybe a year. It kind of made the clothes smell a bit like fuel exhaust and we could smell the exhaust some in the basement, when it was running. I think it possibly quit working and because we had a 220 hook up, we just replaced it with an electric dryer. The other thing about it, it seemed like it took longer to dry the clothes. This was possibly because it was older. When I was growing up, my folks had a gas dryer and it worked fairly well and I don't remember a fuel odor in our utility room. The new ones are probably much better.
We ran a propane stove, dryer, and water heater off the small tanks for ten years. With multiple tanks we had to refill every six weeks or so. Nuisance, but cheaper than electric there.
Our new place has a big propane tank, but electricity is fairly cheap here, so I wish we were all electric and wouldn't have to monitor for refills.
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The Universe messing with me I guess. Didn't notice much if any difference in performance compared to natural gas. The capacity and efficiency of the dryer you have probably affects fuel use a lot. I typically did one "damp dry/hang to finish" cycle and one complete dry load a week plus modest cooking. It took about 3 months before a tank went dry. Don't know how long a bigger capacity tank would last if you aren't heating the house and your water with it.
