New Cutting Edge Appliances Use 40% Less Energy!

Neale Lunderville, General Manager of BED, Liz Gamache, Director of Efficiency Vermont, Lee Owen, Bouchard-Pierce General Manager. Photo courtesy Efficiency Vermont

By N. R. Mallery

A winner of the 2014 ENERGY STAR® Emerging Technology Award, heat pump clothes dryers combine the cutting edge efficiency of heat pump technology with one of the highest energy-using appliances in the home.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), clothes dryers use more energy than any other large appliance in the home. From 2006 to 2010 an average of 9,538 dryers were sold annually in Vermont, of which 87% were estimated to be electric. This year the first-ever ENERGY STAR labeled clothes dryers are hitting retail floors, including several heat pump dryers, which use approximately 40% less energy than a regular electric dryer.

Unlike traditional dryers that pull room-temperature air in, heat it up, and vent it outside, heat pump dryers save energy by using a closed system to dry and recycle hot air before returning it to the drum. Heat pump dryers also use lower temperatures and advanced moisture sensors to prevent over-drying and damage to clothes.

Efficiency Vermont and the Burlington Electric Department
launch $400 rebate for award winning heat pump clothes dryers

Efficiency Vermont and Burlington Electric Department (BED) offer an incentive on this new technology. A $400 rebate is available on all ENERGY STAR 2014 Emerging Technology Award winning electric dryers. Among these winners are the Whirlpool® HybridCare™, LG® EcoHybrid™, and Kenmore® Advanced Hybrid Dry models. The LG model was the first heat pump dryer to be displayed in a Vermont retail store when it arrived at Bouchard-Pierce in Essex Junction, VT; it is now also available at Bouchard-Pierce in Berlin, VT. Total Home Center in St. Albans, VT, Cocoplum Appliances in Essex Junction, VT and Brattleboro, VT, and Brook Valley Appliance in Manchester Center, VT currently have the Whirlpool heat pump dryer on display. David Perry, from Perry’s Appliances in Bradford, VT confirmed that they carry both the LG and Whirlpool Brands of heat pump dryers.

Efficiency Vermont is working closely with retail partners across the state to make these dryers more widely available. Heat pump dryers are more expensive than traditional electric clothes dryers (MSRP $1,599 to $1,899); however with special sales in store, the $400 rebate, and the significant energy savings, they are a competitive product and a smart investment. Some Vermonters have already taken advantage of the rebate – and the switch from a traditional electric dryer to a heat pump dryer is expected to save them $600 over the life of the appliance.

Samuel Atwood of West Dover, VT purchased a heat pump dryer and was one of the first to take advantage of Efficiency Vermont’s rebate. “I chose the heat pump dryer because it is super-efficient and will significantly reduce my energy consumption. The cost of a similar electric dryer, after the rebate, was nearly identical, so I’m already pocketing the energy savings,” said Atwood. “It was also easy to install and is a great quality product.”

The most energy-efficient way to dry your clothes
is to hang them outside to dry. It’s free.

To learn more about Efficiency Vermont’s rebates on energy efficient clothes dryers and to find a participating retailer, visit www.efficiencyvermont.com/dryers. BED customers can visit www.burlingtonelectric.com to learn more about BED’s energy efficiency services.

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