Problem with finding economical drying

john east · 2011-12-18T15:13:15+00:00

Small terraced house in north london has a problem with drying clothes in winter time after they come out of the washing machine. They have been spun dried in the machine, but need hanging up to dry completely.The House has central heating also with a vertical drying radiator in the bathroom, which will take a few items but obviously not much. A small drying rack has been affixed to the top of the drying radiator, which will take a few more clothes.An *economical* solution is being looked for, to get the rest of the clothes dry . There is ' no ' room for a heated tumbler dryer, which anyway would use quite a lot of now expensive electricity. They already have two stand alone wire clothes drying racks.Current thinking so far is to perhaps rig up some small oscillating electric fan to operated in the bathroom to get the air moving around, and hence enhance drying and stand the two drying racks in the bathroom. Another idea is to get one or two of the very small 15 watt electric pad heaters (used for standing under containers when fermenting wine) and placing each one in the middle of a clothes horse. (not much heat, but apparently we have been told that 'air flow' is the key factor.Grateful for any advice, thanks.

Dec 18, 2011 33 Replies

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Mr Pounder 14 years ago

Ahhh, the joys of living in the toilet of the south of England. My mum had a clothes horse in the 1960s. You still have one.

We have a tumble drier in the garage and can afford to use it. Move north young man.

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Andy Burns 14 years ago

we moved out of that house when I was four.

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Andy Burns 14 years ago

We used to have a Flatley ...

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Dave Liquorice 14 years ago

3 yo.

Remember walking on the frozen Avon at Stratford.

We had one in the back garden. No central heating, that arrived in about 1968. Before then the space heating for a 3 bed semi was an open coal fire in the back room and gas fire in the front (rarely used). Bedrooms where basically unheated, hot water bottles, blankets & eiderdowns. Sucking of old pennies to melt spy holes in the ice on the windows. Happy days.

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polygonum 14 years ago

I too used to live near Welshpool - but many years later. But I think you've slipped up in the arithmetic - 6 years old then. So not quite as old as you suggest. :-)

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geoff 14 years ago

Well, ...

I was 7 you young wippersnapper

kids, eh?

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ARWadsworth 14 years ago

It would have to be a rather large or hot bathroom if the Sun was pointing outwards through the windows:-)

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Nick Odell 14 years ago

I'm still using an Electrix ...

Nick

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geoff 14 years ago

Did it dance on the taps

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Andy Champ 14 years ago

I like it when you guys go on like this. Makes me feel so young.

Wot's one of those then? All I can find on Google is Michael Flatley's electric guitar and the USS Flatley's electric propulsion!

Anyway OP might like to keep eyes open. I picked up a dehumidifier on freegle. For nothing.

Andy

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Theo Markettos 14 years ago

Do you have an old desktop PC lying around? Plug it in, leave it turned on. Takes about 100-200W (more if it's high end), gives you some airflow. If you want to increase the heat output, run SETI@Home or similar on it.

Might not be a great plan if it's going to get wet though.

Theo

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7 14 years ago

They sell 'em in Australia.

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Alan Deane 14 years ago

Dehumidifier. I use a small cheap unit, stand it with the clothes airer around it. It draws 180w running however gets a load of clothes dry in a few hours.

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Bill 14 years ago

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