Gas Vs. Electric Clothes Dryers

Today, clothes dryers are a common appliance in most homes. Nevertheless, they were not always a part of the average household. As clothes dryers become more technologically advanced, they heated clothes by electricity or gas. More styles were available, and some models began to offer more sophisticated features.

The History of Clothes Dryers

For years, people hung their clothes in the sun to dry. Unfortunately, drying clothes naturally was time-consuming. Eventually, in 1799, a Frenchman invented a manually cranked clothes dryer. In 1892, George Simpson obtained a patent for clothes dryer that used stove heat. Dryers generating electrical heat appeared in 1915. In 1935, J. Ross Moore patented models of electric and gas dryers and sold his designs in 1936 to Hamilton Manufacturing.

Interesting Facts About Dryers

The first coin-operated self-service laundry in the United States, called a washateria, opened in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1934, but the first coin-operated dryers were not invented until the mid-1950s.
Clothes dryers are a significant source of home fires causing more than 15,000 yearly. A study conducted by the United States Product Safety Commission found electrical dryers to cause 8,600 fires while gas dryers caused only 3,200. However, the type of dryer causing every fire was unknown.

What Is the Difference Between a Gas and an Electric Clothes Dryer?

Both types of dryers have electric motors and fans, but the heat generated by the dryer is created differently. Electric dryers generate heat through electric currents, which heats wire coils. A 240 volt outlet is required. Gas dryers require a gas hookup and generate heat via flames. Gas dryers are more costly, but they can dry clothes quicker and more cheaply, thereby making them more energy-efficient.

Dryer Styles

Electric and gas dryers come in three styles. Space saving, stackable dryers have a smaller capacity and are designed to be used in limited space. There are also combination space-saving units that can wash and dry in the same machine, but they are not as easily found in the United States.
Most dryers are freestanding and designed to be used side by side next to a washing machine. In addition, they can be loaded from the top or the front.

Dryer Features

Gas and electric dryers offer the same features. Moisture sensors will sense when the clothes are dry and activate an automatic shutoff, which reduces energy consumption. Dryers have different size capacities. If you have the space, a larger dryer will accommodate all loads better and minimize wrinkles. More expensive dryers usually have electronic cycle buttons, but they may require more maintenance than rotary dials.

References

• History of the Dryer
• Clothes Dryers
• Clothes Dryers

Resources

• Texas Landmarks and Legacies
• U.S. Product Safety Commission Report on Dryers
• Clothes Dryers: What to Look For