Gas dryers?

[accuratehorn]

What happened to gas dryers? Are they extinct? Mine has a problem, and went to look at new dryers, and all a couple of stores have are electric. Don't they use more energy than gas? Did I miss something in the last few years? Is it uncool to have a gas dryer or what?

 

[CottonEyedHorn]

Haven't really looked for one in person lately but Lowes has 110 to choose from

Sears has 124 ...

 

[rhg84]

they still make them like stated above. I know for sure LG makes them. i was told that the difference in energy usage is negligible nowadays because of multiple built in sensors that dryers have.

 

[accuratehorn]

110 and 124 should be enough. Frys had zero, and all the ad supplements in last Sunday's paper had none.
Will check at Lowes, or maybe electric is the way to go now, for only $7-800.

 

[madscientist]

do you have a problem with wet gas?

 

[Xminus6]

try sears. i bought a couple of them in the past few years. one only a few months ago.

 

[uisge beatha]

I would recommend against Sears because of their business practices - they are one of the worst at misleading advertising and honoring the rebates. Last time I went there, they had a sign up that said "$50 installation after rebate". After discussing with the salesman and escallating to the store manager, the all told me it was $50 off installation which would have meant I'd paid approximately $200 for installation. we ended up going to Home Depot where at least where what they advertised was true instead of using Newspeak. The last time I actually bought appliances from Sears, they offered free delivery of said appliance after rebate. I sent in all the forms they'd told me to but still said I hadn't submitted the correct forms.

 

[AustinTejasFan]

You can get a basic gas dryer at Lowes for $200-300.

 

[accuratehorn]

I will check at Lowes. I think the valve that is acting up on ours would cost as much as a new basic model.

 

[Luke Duke]

I have never had a problem with Sears

 

[CottonEyedHorn]

We have a gas hookup but we're still using the electric dryer I bought new in 1996. Still works, but probably uses a ton of energy. When it dies we're going gas.

 

[accuratehorn]

I went to Lowe's and the salesman looked at me like I was from Mars or Oklahoma when I asked for a gas dryer. They had zero. None. Nada. Claimed they could still order one if I was that deranged.
Then I went to a website looking for cost comparisons of the price to run a gas dryer per load versus an electric dryer. I attempted to make the computations based on Austin electric rates, and the Atmos Energy gas rates. If I did the calculations correctly, it costs about $.25 per hour to run a gas dryer, and about $.51 per hour to run an electric dryer.
Anyone have any data on this?
I still think I am better off getting a gas dryer over electric. Apparently they cost about $50 more for a comparable model.

 

[Franco]

Just the cost of the energy, assuming $0.11/kWh and $1/CCF, electricity would be roughly three times more expensive than gas. Then you have to factor that in a dryer, an electric heat strip is more or less 100% efficient, while a gas burner, I don't know, maybe 70% efficient. Still gas should come out way ahead in cost. I also have been thinking about a gas dryer.

In a gas dryer, do the exhaust fumes come out of the same duct where the hot air comes out?

 

[accuratehorn]

There isn't a separate exhaust duct for fumes, so I assume the waste product goes out the same duct to the outside of the house.

 

[ArrogantAssclown]

Yeah, you got to watch Sears on installation charges. My free water heater installation would have cost about $300 after vent modificaitons and other changes they would have surely recommended. Luckily I caught a review that mention being taken in that manner on their website. I hired a private contractor to install.

 

[big_fat_horn]

Home Depot has free delivery and installation of any appliance $299 or more. Stores typically carry only a very few lower end models in stock. In the Central Texas area, as soon as you pay for your order, the p.o. shows up at a ware house in Dallas. It is on a truck that night to the carrier in Austin. You normally get delivery in 2-3 days of when you pay for your order. The guys call the evening beofre delivery, and give you a 2-3 hour window for the next day. They then call the day of the delivery approx 30 minutes out to let you know they are coming. When they show up, they unbox the new appliance, check for damage, hook it up, and then haul away the old unit if you want. All at no extra charge. Home Depot sells GE, Maytag, and LG.