For those that have a euro laundry (compact laundry in a cupboard) or maybe just a small room to house your laundry appliances, a wall hung dryer may be the solution you are looking for.
In Australia it is very common for households to mount a dryer to the wall (usually above the washing machine or laundry tub) however I have been told it is rare in Europe and other surrounding countries to purchase a dryer that has this option so I do apologise if you find it hard to locate one to purchase if you are not in Australia.
When designing your laundry take into consideration the size of the space. Is there room to house both the washer and dryer side by side under the bench? If not, would you prefer a stackable unit where the dryer sits directly on top of the washing machine?
When designing our laundry I personally wanted the option to have the largest amount of bench space possible. This meant a stackable combination wasn't the best option which is why we decided to hang the dryer at head height over the laundry tub.
Now not all dryers come with the wall mounted option. In fact if you are looking to mount one to your wall it is best to steer clear of condenser dryers. Only vented dryers can be wall mounted while condenser and heat pump dryers are too heavy and will need to be put on the floor or stacked on top of a washer.
When looking for a dryer to hang on the wall double check that the unit comes with a wall mounting kit. If it does not it may not have the option to be flipped upside down and hung on the wall. Also double check that there is ample ventilation and support within the wall to hold the unit and take the weight. It would be a nightmare if the unit came crashing down shortly after it was installed or over heated due to the not being able to vent properly.
Now you may ask why would the dryer need to be flipped upside down. This is so it can be reached. If the unit is placed the right way up the electronic panel would be out of reach and you would need a ladder to turn the unit on and off.
Of course dryers can be costly to run and are not the best option when it comes to the helping save the environment however there are times such as the middle of winter where it can be the only way of getting your clothes dry. As a dryer owner I try my best to limit the cost when it comes to drying my clothes which I thought I would share below.
1. Try to air dry your clothes outside before utilising the dryer. The sun is 100% free.
2. Try placing a clothes horse over your heating ducts or in front of an open fire. If you have the heater running why not utilise it.
3. When purchasing a dryer look to purchase a unit with the highest star rating. The higher the stars the more efficient the unit is on energy.
4. When washing your clothes use the highest spin cycle possible. A faster spin cycle will extract excess water meaning the clothes will take less time and energy to dry.
5. Empty your dryers lint filter after every cycle. Lint can clog the filter which makes it harder for the unit to get hot air to the clothes meaning clothes need to be drying for a longer period of time.
6. If possible try to combine as many clothes to one dry cycle rather than drying multiple items over multiple cycles. The less number of cycles the less electricity and money you will burn.
A wall mounted dryer can be a great space saving option and I would highly recommend installing one if you are considering it. This by no means is a paid post put instead my opinion on an appliance that has been a great decision to add to our home.