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Hangin' it out to dry - Saving money with Solar!

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Broker Associate / Team Lead - Texas Pride Realty Group 0503820 TX


Every year we try to take measures to reduce our electrical load. In six years in our house we have brought our bills down 41%.

Last year I invested $65 and purchased an umbrella-style clothesline. Now I know some of you won't want to do this, but we saved about $350 last year not running our 220 electric dryer and also not putting that dryer heat into the house.



Plus it did me good to have to get up off the sofa every hour and go outside and hang the laundry. I tend to put things out in the late afternoon or at night so that colors don't fade

We also had to switch to an all natural laundry soap. We found that TIDE and CHEER left a residue on our clothes that wouldn't come out. Something we didn't notice when we were baking our clothes in the hot dryer.


So before you consider frying your clothes and making your AC work harder this Spring and Summer, consider putting $65 on the line and getting out in the fresh air. Your clothes will smell great and you'll free good when your energy bill comes in next month!

Comments (10)

Cal Yoder
Keller Williams Elite - Lititz, PA
Homes For Sale in Lancaster PA - 717.413.0744

Bob,

Great idea. My wife is so conscientious about saving electricity and cutting expenses. She has been known to turn the lights out in the room where I am. Since we are empty nesters, she has begun to hang our clothes on racks in a spare room to allow them to dry. Here is to saving some money and thinking green.

Cal

Mar 06, 2010 08:57 PM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

Airing your CLEAN laundry * I grew up in SC and clothes lines were EVERYWHERE!!! We had washers and my mother prefered to "air dry" sheets and clothing in the summer sun - smelled so good and was warm! 

I also grew up without AC * Southern women "glowed" we did not perspire!!!

Mar 06, 2010 10:04 PM
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

Bob,

Don't think the day the clothes line will return.  The dryer is just too convenient.  Also many deed restrictions will not allow them.

Mar 07, 2010 12:40 AM
Steve Shatsky
Dallas, TX

Hi Bob... I applaud you for your effort!  I love the smell of clothes that have line dried, but I know my HOA would have something not so friendly to say if I installed a clothesline on my balcony!

Mar 07, 2010 01:09 AM
Gerry Michaels
Glasswork Media Arts - Gettysburg, PA
GettysburgGerry Social Meida

Bob, besides saving electricity, don't forget how great your cloths smell when hung out to dry. Anytime we move a quality clothesline is one of the first things that gets installed, great post

Mar 07, 2010 05:03 AM
Dale Baker
Baker Energy Audits and Commercial Properties Inspections - Claremont, NH
New Hampshire Relocation Real Estate Information

Howdy and evenen to ya Bob

Back home in The Grand State of Missouri, I always air dryed my clothes. My lady here does sometimes. There are more months here in NH folks can't dry clothes outside, if-en they did the clothes more than likely would brake. lol

Baker Home Energy Audit and Commercial Properties Inspections

Mar 07, 2010 12:53 PM
Robert The Earl of Real Estate
St Pete LUXE Living Group - Saint Petersburg, FL
The Earl of Real Estate

we saved about $350 last year not running our 220 electric dryer... that is some serious change

Mar 08, 2010 10:33 AM
John Cannata
214-728-0449 http://TexasLoanGuy.com - Frisco, TX
Texas Home Mortgage - Purchase or Refinance

Hanging your clothes out to dry really brings back some childhood memories.

Mar 08, 2010 03:27 PM
David Selman
Selman Home Inspections, Inc. - Dallas, TX
Certified Master Home Inspector

Nice post Bob. I love the idea. Since I live in a rural area, no one cares if our laundry is hanging outside to dry. How do people in the Carrolton city limits feel about it? As a home inspector, I love things that save energy and help people reduce costs. Keep up the good work!

Mar 09, 2010 08:24 AM
David Selman
Selman Home Inspections, Inc. - Dallas, TX
Certified Master Home Inspector

Also - Check out "Bloom Energy".

Mar 12, 2010 08:36 AM