Ikea: the best source for drying equipment in the US?

Check out Ikea's range of air drying accessories.

Chinese Drying Balconies

An associate of QSC took these pictures of Chinese Drying Balconies in Shanghai.  These are an example of purpose built areas in homes and apartments, where clothes can be dried using the sun and the air when it is possible to open the balcony windows.  

Note sliding interior doors for closing off washing and drying area and also the washing machine as part of the designated area for maximum convenience.  When washing and drying is not happening, the space is available for other uses.

Energy Efficient Techniques For Drying Clothes

The city electric company of Seattle, Seattle City Light provides customers with a history of electric use for a home owner that compares the performance of 100 similar neighbors and the best neighbor from the  100.  Late last year my energy use exceeded the average of my 100 similar neighbors and exceeded my best neighbor by a significant amount.   So I began to look at ways to significantly reduce my electric usage.  At about this time the Wall Street Journal had an article about the energy costs of drying clothes.  I started experimenting with drying my clothes on improvised racks, doors, open drawers and clothes hangers, etc.  Eventually on a store bought rack and eventually on an outdoor clothesline.  The results were a significant reduction in electrical use.  From this experience came a paper that describes this journey and that includes ideas collected from friends and interested persons and literature information on the costs of mechanical drying of clothes.

Click to download the Clothesline Paper

Please feel free to add you comments about natural clothes drying and share you experiences.  Please note that bad experiences and as important to the blog as good experiences.

Ivy And Other Vine Plants

This part of the blog is intended to provide a platform for discussing and sharing the environmental benefits of ivy and other vine plants.

A few resources of relevance:

Read QCS' research on the benefits of Ivy

Information about Ivy in the City from www.thegreencity.co.uk - see section 4.3 (p21) on Alternative Green Structures


References on the effects of ivy on buildings and trees, from The American Ivy Society


Oxford University Shows Ivy Is Good For Walls


Please feel free to comment.