Running cost comes down to wattage, hours and your rate. In Pennsylvania the rate is 21.55 cents per kWh, which is 16.9 percent above the national average. Here is what that means for a electric clothes dryer.
A electric clothes dryer drawing 3,000 W costs $0.65 per hour in Pennsylvania. Run 1 hours a day that is $0.65 daily, $19.40 a month and $236 a year, which is $34.05 more than the same appliance at the US average rate.
Cost by hours used per day in Pennsylvania
| Hours/day | Energy | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h | 3.00 kWh | $0.65 | $19.40 |
| 2 h | 6.00 kWh | $1.29 | $38.79 |
| 4 h | 12.00 kWh | $2.59 | $77.58 |
| 6 h | 18.00 kWh | $3.88 | $116 |
| 8 h | 24.00 kWh | $5.17 | $155 |
| 12 h | 36.00 kWh | $7.76 | $233 |
| 24 h | 72.00 kWh | $15.52 | $465 |
Cost by wattage at 21.55 cents
| Rated power | Per hour | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,800 W | $0.39 | $0.39 | $11.64 |
| 2,400 W | $0.52 | $0.52 | $15.52 |
| 3,000 W | $0.65 | $0.65 | $19.40 |
| 4,000 W | $0.86 | $0.86 | $25.86 |
| 5,000 W | $1.08 | $1.08 | $32.33 |
Find the row matching the nameplate on your own unit. Within a single appliance category the spread is often wider than the difference between categories, so the label is worth reading.
What this means in Pennsylvania
This appliance runs on much the same schedule regardless of climate, so the figure above is a reasonable year-round estimate for Pennsylvania. What changes it is your own usage pattern rather than the weather.
Why Pennsylvania pays what it does
Pennsylvania has a competitive retail electricity market, so the rate used here blends households on the utility default with households on shopped supply plans. If you have never switched supplier you are probably on the default, which is usually the more expensive side of that blend. Only the generation portion of your bill changes when you switch; delivery and outage response do not.
At 21.55 cents, Pennsylvania ranks 36 of 51 from cheapest to most expensive. The Northeast regional average is 25.91 cents. Roughly half of any residential bill is transmission and distribution rather than generation, which is why rates keep climbing even when fuel prices fall.
How this compares across the country
The same electric clothes dryer on the same schedule, in the cheapest and dearest states:
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 12.35¢ | $11.12 | $135 |
| Utah | 12.96¢ | $11.66 | $142 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.55¢ | $19.40 | $236 |
| California | 33.25¢ | $29.93 | $364 |
| Hawaii | 52.00¢ | $46.80 | $569 |
Lowering the number in Pennsylvania
- Use the moisture sensor cycle, not timed dry. Timed drying keeps heating after the clothes are dry.
- Clean the lint filter every load and the vent duct yearly. Restricted airflow lengthens every cycle and causes fires.
- Spin twice for towels and jeans. Water removed in the washer is water the dryer does not evaporate.
- Run consecutive loads. A drum already hot does not need reheating.
- Line dry what you easily can. Sheets and towels dry outdoors for nothing.
Offsetting it with solar in Pennsylvania
This load uses about 3.00 kWh a day. Covering that would take roughly 3 standard 400 W panels at typical sun hours, an array of about 1.20 kW. Because it offsets electricity worth 21.55 cents rather than the national 18.44 cents, the same array is worth more here than the national payback figures suggest.
A dryer is a short, enormous load. Running one on solar means either a very large array or accepting that it only runs on bright afternoons. Full sizing, including battery and inverter requirements, is on the solar sizing page for this appliance.
Questions people actually ask
[hed_faq]How much does it cost to run a electric clothes dryer in Pennsylvania?About $0.65 per hour and $19.40 a month at 1 hours a day, using the Pennsylvania average rate of 21.55 cents per kWh.
How many watts does a electric clothes dryer use?Around 3,000 W while running, with a range of roughly 1,800 to 5,000 W depending on model and setting.
Is that expensive for Pennsylvania?Pennsylvania electricity runs 16.9 percent above the national average, so this appliance costs $34.05 more per year here than it would at the US average rate.
Can I lower this without replacing the appliance?Usually yes. Run time is the variable you control, and the hours table above shows exactly what each hour costs. In Pennsylvania you can also shop for a cheaper supply rate, which lowers every figure on this page proportionally.[/hed_faq]