cover image: Short Cycle Washer and Dryer Standards Proposed Rule Comments

20.500.12592/0wjmxk

Short Cycle Washer and Dryer Standards Proposed Rule Comments

13 Oct 2020

In the NOPR, DOE is proposing to establish separate product classes for top-loading and front-loading clothes washers with cycle times of less than 30 minutes and 45 minutes, respectively, and for clothes dryers with cycle times of less than 30 minutes. [...] Specifically, for top-loading clothes washers, three models in DOE’s test sample have average cycle times on the “normal” cycle of 29, 27, and 27 minutes.7 For front-loading clothes washers and for clothes dryers, there are current models with cycle times just above the thresholds DOE is proposing for the new product classes. [...] Specifically, for front- loading clothes washers, four models in DOE’s test sample have average cycle times between 45 and 48 minutes, and for clothes dryers, there are models on the market with cycle times as short as 34 minutes and 33 minutes for electric and gas dryers, respectively.8 These data illustrate that consumers today can purchase clothes washers and clothes dryers with short cycle tim. [...] First, while DOE provides data in the NOPR summarizing the cycle times of clothes washers and clothes dryers tested by the Department and dryers certified to ENERGY STAR, as described above, these data do not support DOE’s proposal. [...] For clothes dryers, we understand that providing shorter cycle times than those available today would require the use of higher heat levels and/or the use of high heat for longer periods of time, which could damage the clothes being dried.18 DOE provides no evidence that manufacturers could introduce clothes dryers with substantially shorter cycle times that would not damage the clothes.

Authors

Joanna Mauer

Pages
5
Published in
United States of America

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