Laundry dryers: 5 reasons to use a dehumidifier for drying clothes

While the rapid results of a tumble dryer are undeniable, it often comes at a big cost. Tumble dryers are typically big energy consumers, over time costing significant sums of money and projecting plenty of carbon emissions into the environment.

So, is there an alternative? Yes – using a dehumidifier for drying clothes.

While these can’t match the speed of a tumble dryer, laundry dryer dehumidifiers can produce the exact same (if not better) results for your clothes, in a way that is more cost-efficient and that provides additional benefits for the quality and condition of your home.

How does a condensation dehumidifier dry your clothes?

First, you might be curious as to how laundry dryers work to dry your laundry without employing the same high-intensity heat and motion of a tumble dryer.

A condensation dehumidifier consumes moisture-laden air in a room, which then passes across a refrigerated coil within the system. This air is rapidly cooled, condensing the water vapour and recovering the latent heat energy for later use. After this, the cooled air is then passed across the condenser where it is reheated and returned to the area in question, at the required lower humidity.

In short, it absorbs the moisture in the air from your wet clothes, and projects warm, dryer air that over time dries out your clothes to the same effect a tumble dryer would (admittedly over a longer span of time).

The best clothes drying dehumidifiers, such as Aerial’s dedicated laundry dryers, incorporate their own “laundry drying” mode. This maintains the target humidity at the optimal conditions for the space in question (usually around 40% RH), helping to ensure clothes are dried in the most time- and energy-efficient manner.

5 advantages of using a dehumidifier for drying clothes

1. Reduced costs over time

On average, a tumble dryer costs 0.39€ an hour to use in terms of energy consumption. While that might not seem like a lot at first glance, over time these numbers can start to leave a noticeable impression on your electricity bill – all on top of the cost of purchasing the tumble dryer in the first place.

While acquiring a laundry dryer dehumidifier may represent a larger initial cost than a typical tumble dryer, the difference in costs over time are staggering. The running costs of a condensation dehumidifier can be as little as 0.03€ an hour – approximately 12 times less expensive to run than a standard tumble dryer.

Furthermore, high-quality condensation dehumidifiers like those found in the Aerial range are very robust and durable, offering effective use for many years after purchase.

2. Environmentally friendly

The reduced energy consumption does not only benefit your bank account, but it also shows some much-needed support to the environment. By turning off the tumble dryer and utilising more energy-efficient dehumidifiers, you make a clear statement about staying green.

3. Retained heat can be reused

A big benefit of using dehumidifiers for drying clothes is that it retains and generates a substantial amount of heat which doesn’t just aid the drying of your clothes, but can be harnessed to heat other areas of your home.

It is not uncommon for dehumidifiers to convert every unit of energy it consumes into 2.5 times the amount of usable heat.

Furthermore, as a dehumidifier will reduce the moisture in the air in the spaces it is employed, it will make it faster and easier to heat up areas than in more humid, moisture-heavy settings.

These advantages could notably reduce your dependence on alternative ways to heat your home, such as using radiators or external heaters.

4. Protection from condensation

Speaking of radiators, why shouldn’t these be used to dry your clothes in place of a tumble dryer or dehumidifier?

This is because radiators can significantly increase the relative humidity of the area they are used. When this mixes with the colder, wetter weather in the winter months, it creates condensation and dampness, which can then lead to mould and bacteria to form. This not only has the potential to damage the structural integrity of your home, it may also be a hazard to you and your family’s health.

When radiators are drying wet clothes, they can cause the same effect. Without good ventilation in the area, the humidity that arises from the steam rising from your wet clothes could easily settle in spots across your home, and create nests for dangerous bacteria.

By lowering the overall humidity of your home, making it harder for condensation to form with much less moisture in the air, a dehumidifier greatly reduces the risk of damp and mould forming.

5. Less damaging to clothes

Finally, as using a dehumidifier steers clear of the mechanical wear or high temperatures employed by tumble dryers, which can cause damage to fabrics or lead to them shrinking or stiffening, this method can be a lot kinder on your clothes and will extend their wearability substantially.

Making the switch to a dehumidification solution

We hope that this has given you some valuable insight into the advantages of using a dehumidifier for drying clothes over the more traditional tumble dryer.

While the speed and simplicity of the tumble dryer are commendable, there is no questioning that for those willing to wait a little longer for their clothes to dry and have space to spare in their home, dehumidification offers a safe, efficient and cost-effective solution for modern households.

For the best clothes drying dehumidifiers available, you don’t need to look any further than Aerial’s proven range, which has delivered excellent results for our customers across Europe. Our laundry dryers utilise Blue-Dry® technology for exceptional energy-saving, and are wall-mounted to save as much space in the room they are installed as possible.

Get in touch today to discuss the possibility of introducing a dehumidifier into your home.