Facts on the Electricity Usage of Hand Dryers
Hair dryers have become a common household appliance, which many people use on a daily basis. Many hotels and motels place hair dryers in their guest rooms. But these appliances require a lot of electrical energy, and because they might be used in an environment where water is near, safety must always be a consideration. Does this Spark an idea?
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Electrical Power Usage
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Any element that uses electricity to create heat requires a lot of electricity. Toasters, baseboard electric heat, water heaters and hair dryers use a lot of electricity in their heating elements, so they are expensive to operate. Electric heat is one of the most expensive ways to heat a home.
Electrical Cost To Operate a Hair Dryer
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Most hair dryers require about 1,200 watts of power to operate, though newer models use upward of 1,875 watts. To calculate the cost to use a hair dryer, convert the wattage it uses to kilowatts (1,875 watts converts to 1.875 kw). Then multiply this by the cost per kilowatt per hour charged by the utility company. A 1,875-watt hair dryer at a charge of 17 cents per kilowatt/hour will cost 32 cents an hour to operate.
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Circuit Breakers Can Be Tripped
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The basic electrical circuit in a home uses a 15- or 20-amp circuit breaker. A 1,875-watt hair dryer might draw enough current to cause a circuit breaker to trip if any other appliance is in operation on the same circuit.
Electricity and Water Don't Mix
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Because hair dryers are often used in bathrooms where there is exposure to water, there is a potential risk of electrocution. Hair dryers in the United States are required to have a circuit breaker device built onto the power cord, called an ALCI safety plug.
GFCI Breakers
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In addition to the safety plug on the hair dryer, always plug a hair dryer into a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlet. This will also help protect users from severe or fatal shocks should the hair dryer come in contact with water. The GFCI is a sensitive device that detects and reacts to an electrical current leak and automatically shuts off before grave shock can occur.
Keep Dry
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Even with these safety features, there is always a hazard using an electrical appliance near water. Use a hair dryer as far away from water as possible.
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Resources
- Photo Credit HDryers.com
