Heat Pump Dryers Save Energy and Eliminate Potential Fire Hazards
Conventional dryers heat air using electric resistance or gas combustion, blow it over tumbling clothes and vent the warm, moist air outside. Heat pump dryers don't require vents, which help save energy and prevents fire hazards resulting from lint accumulation in the vents.
They also have lower temperatures and are gentler on clothing, which means they might take longer to dry than traditional machines. Aztec Appliance has more information about these ventless washers.
Efficiency
You can save a significant amount of money on your electric bill by using the heat pump dryer. According to Energy Star, it uses up to 28 percent less energy than a conventional clothes dryer. It might not seem like much however, if you are doing 20 loads of laundry per week in Massachusetts where electricity costs are among the highest in the country and you can save hundreds of dollars over the course of a 12 year lifespan.
A heat pump dryer is similar to a dehumidifier. The heat pump dryer begins with heated air that is then sent through coils to heat it even more. The hot air pulls moisture out of the clothing and then into the heat exchanger, which turns it into condensed liquid. It drips out into an empty pan or a tube that can be connected to drain it. The cool, moist air then circulates back over the condenser coils to be re-heated and the cycle begins again.
Heat pump dryers don't require an exhaust vent, which means they can be installed in areas that would not be able to accommodate a conventional dryer. They are also quieter and more versatile, making them ideal for homes and other areas that have little space. Additionally, they are more secure than dryers with vents, which could be a fire hazard if not maintained regularly.
Heat pump dryers take longer to dry your laundry due to the fact that they operate at lower temperatures. In addition, since they function much like a dehumidifier and release lots of water during drying, it's important to clean your dryer's heat pump regularly. This is especially important when your clothes are damp or you live in a humid area. You can do this by regularly inspecting and cleaning the lint screens and the condenser coils. Also, you should clean the drain tube regularly. The evaporator coil is susceptible to bacterial and mold However, regular cleaning is required to keep it in good condition.
Condensation
The traditional way to dry clothes involves the use of a fan to blow hot air over the laundry that is tumbling and then venting that warm, moist air outside. This method consumes a lot of energy and requires venting outside space to vent the ducting. Heat pump dryers--also known as ventless dryers, recycle the air instead. They are able to heat the air by reusing energy to run the machine and then condense it into water that drains from the bottom of the drum. They are also smaller than vented models, and can be installed in the attic or laundry room.
The dryers with heat pumps, while popular in Europe and Japan are relatively new on the American market. They are now available in sizes that fit most home laundry rooms and provide significant energy savings. And because they don't exhaust indoor air to the outdoors it isn't necessary to clean your venting system often or deal with possible issues that could arise with a dirty one.
They are similar to the refrigeration system in refrigerators. They have an air compressor that pressurizes refrigerant through one set of coils, releasing heat. The evaporator coils absorb warmth from air passing through. The refrigerant that is heated circulates through a second set of coils to condense the moist air, and that cool refrigerant flows back into the original set of coils and is reheated to repeat the process.
The heat pump dryers require maintenance just like other electric dryers to ensure their performance is at its best. Lint can accumulate on the filters and evaporator coils. It is essential to clean these frequently to prevent excessive wear. And they use refrigerants with high GWP (Global Warming Potential) which means that they need to be properly recycled also.
The heat pump dryers take longer than vented dryers to dry loads. This is because their maximum temperature, which is around 120degF is lower than gas and electric resistance dryers, which means they're required to tumble a little longer before they're completely dry.
Lint Screens
Heat pump dryers are equipped with a lint filter and venting system that need to be maintained regularly. A blocked dryer vent can increase drying time and pose a fire risk. The exhaust from a vented dryer can reach temperatures that can ignite volatile chemicals and oils.
A heat pump vent system needs a dehumidifier to eliminate moisture prior to the air is removed from the dryer. A dehumidifier can also help you save energy by lowering the temperature at which the hot water is heated to heat the air.
The lint filter of a heat-pump dryer is finer and requires cleaning more frequently than the one in a conventional dryer. The lint trap inside the door's opening is an ideal spot for lint to accumulate and must be cleaned and cleaned regularly.
The models with heat pumps also have a heated drum wall, which means that the interior of the dryer must be free of lint, fabric softener and dryer sheet residue. The heated drum walls might also need to be cleaned and inspected on a regular basis, since they might require to be changed as indicated by the user's manual.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the buildup of lint inside the dryer's exhaust pipe isn't just an inconvenience. It's also an ignition source that can cause 2900 house fires per year. Clean your dryer's lint-exhaust pipe every year with a wire brush, or use a leaf blower from the exterior to clear lint from the inside of the hose as this How-to video explains. This is safer to do from the outside since you won't get lint on your face. If you're not sure that you can clean the ducts, call a professional.
If you can't feel air moving through the vent of your dryer outside or when your dryer takes longer to dry than usual it could be due to an obstruction from lint within the vent. Choose a specific day in the year to clean the venting system that is Labor Day, the beginning of spring, or the closing or the beginning of daylight saving time - and stick to it.
Installation
Drying laundry in a modern electric dryer is one of the most important conveniences that homeowners have access to. But selecting the right dryer is an important decision for those who want to cut their utility bills and make an impact on the environment. For many people, heat pump dryers are an ideal option. Unlike tumble dryers with heat pump vented dryers that make use of gas or electricity to heat air, and then blow the hot, dry air into the drum to remove moisture, heat pump dryers reuse the same air repeatedly, pulling the moist air out of the clothes and cooling it, allowing it to return to the laundry room, where it can be used again.
Since they don't have to vent outside, they don't require any chimney or ducting and can be installed in small spaces like laundry closets. This makes them ideal for tiny homes as well as accessory dwelling units (such as a laundry room in the basement or an apartment over the garage) and even additions. The majority of heat pump dryers perform better than traditional vented dryers because they are ENERGY STAR certified.
Heat pump dryers can run on standard 120-volt 15-amp circuits. This is a benefit for older homes that have older wiring, and could reduce the cost of installation.
However the fact that heat pump dryers aren't as powerful than other types of dryers means they take longer to finish the cycle. And because they don't have the back-and-forth movement of conventional dryers, large items like towels and sheets may wad up into laundry sausages that are difficult to unravel. Some manufacturers try to solve this problem by reversing tumble cycles for short periods during a cycle.
In addition, heat pump dryers need more regular maintenance than other dryers. Lint can accumulate on heat exchanger coils and evaporator coils, requiring periodic cleaning or vacuuming to keep them running efficiently. Since heat pump dryers don't vent, they can also gather moisture inside the dryer, which can cause mold.