Tumble dryers help to make the much-reviled task of doing the laundry so much easier. Once your clothes have finished washing, simply drop them into your tumble dryer and allow them to dry to perfection, ready to be folded away. Tumble dryers are also now much more energy-efficient and affordable than they’ve ever been before. So, there’s never been a better time to invest in one.
The only problem is that there are actually a number of distinct tumble dryer types to choose from. And they all operate in different ways! For instance, one very popular modern type of tumble dryer is the heat pump dryer. But how exactly do heat pump dryers differ from other types? And are they worth investing in?
In this guide, the Reliant tech experts are going to take you through everything you need to know about how heat pump dryers work. Let’s dive right in!
How Do Heat Pump Tumble Dryers Work?
Heat pump tumble dryers operate largely in the same way as standard vented and condenser dryers. However, one key operational difference helps to make them a far more energy-efficient option.
Tumble dryers operate by generating hot air that your laundry then tumbles through. As your laundry dries, the moisture from the fabrics is carried, as steam, out from the central tub. Tumble dryers tend to differ in terms of what they do with the moisture collected from your laundry. For instance, vented tumble dryers, as the name suggests, vent the moisture outside of the home. Condenser tumble dryers, on the other hand, condense the moisture to turn it back into water. The water is then collected in a small tank at the bottom of the appliance!
Heat pump tumble dryers, unlike other dryers, do not dispose of the hot air left behind after the drying process. Instead, they reuse the hot air and send it right back into the central tub. This makes them more efficient!
After the moisture has been removed from your clothes and disposed of, most tumble dryers then also dispose of the warm air that’s left behind. This is where heat pump tumble dryers differ. Instead of disposing of the hot air left behind from extracting the moisture, heat pump tumble dryers instead send that hot air back into the central tub to dry your laundry!
Other tumble dryers have to continuously generate a new supply of warm air throughout the entirety of the drying cycle. This can prove to be very inefficient over time, and results in quite a lot of wasted energy. Heat pump tumble dryers, thus, can help you save lots of money on operating costs, as they consume much less electricity!
Should You Buy A Heat Pump Tumble Dryer?
Heat pump tumble dryers have a number of fantastic benefits. Of course, one of the best things about these dryers is their high efficiency. If you’re conscious of cutting costs and minimising your impact on the environment, then the low operating costs of these tumble dryers might be a massive draw!
Heat pump tumble dryers are also able to dry your clothes at lower temperatures, thanks to their closed-loop systems. This is incredibly beneficial to your laundry, as it’s softer on the fabric, and prevents it from being damaged! It might take a little longer for your clothes to dry in a heat pump dryer, but it will save you heaps of cash in the long run!
Heat pump tumble dryers are incredibly energy efficient because they reuse the same hot air throughout the cycle to dry your clothes. This means they’re more energy efficient, and thus they cost less to operate!
Heat pump tumble dryers are also much easier to install in your home than vented tumble dryers. Vented tumble dryers, naturally, need to be installed right next to an external wall in order to vent out all of the moisture. Heat pump dryers, on the other hand, can be placed just about anywhere in the home!
If we had to list any potential downsides of heat pump tumble dryers, we would have to mention how they dispose of water that’s extracted from your laundry. All of the water extracted from your clothes is stored in a small tank at the bottom of the unit. It’s then up to the user to empty this tank between every cycle. For some, this might be an incredible inconvenience, especially for those with hampered mobility. However, it’s a small price to pay for the energy efficiency and gentler operation that heat pump dryers are best known for!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Does A Heat Pump Tumble Dryer Work?
The main feature that differentiates heat pump dryers from all the rest is what they do with the hot air that they use. Standard vented and condenser tumble dryers generate hot air and pump it through the central tub. Once the moisture has been extracted from the hot air, the hot air is then removed and a new supply is generated. Heat pump dryers, on the other hand, send the remaining hot air back through the central tub to continue drying! This makes them incredibly energy efficient.
Do Heat Pump Tumble Dryers Need A Vent?
No. Heat pump tumble dryers do not vent the moisture extracted from your clothes. Instead, the moisture from your clothes is collected in a small reservoir at the bottom of the unit. It’s then up to the user to empty this reservoir between every cycle. For some people, this can make heat pump tumble dryers very inconvenient. Especially for those with limited mobility. If you’re not able to comfortably empty this reservoir, then you may benefit from a vented tumble dryer.
