How Much Does It Cost to Run a Heat Pump Dryer in South Carolina? (2026)
A heat pump dryer recycles hot air instead of venting it, so it draws about a third of the power of a conventional dryer. Cycles take longer, but total energy per load is about half.
A typical heat pump dryer (900 W) costs $0.14 per hour, or about $8.40 per month at 2 hours a day in South Carolina. Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 600 W | $0.093 | $0.19 | $5.60 | $68.11 |
| Typical 900 W | $0.14 | $0.28 | $8.40 | $102.16 |
| High 1,200 W | $0.19 | $0.37 | $11.20 | $136.22 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 2 h/day ≈ 657 kWh per year.
One hour of a heat pump dryer (0.90 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 5.0km in an electric car
- 9.0hours of TV
- 20hours of a laptop
- 100hours of an LED bulb
In South Carolina, with electricity at 15.6¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical heat pump dryer costs $0.14 per hour and about $102.16 per year at 2 hours a day. That is about 15% less than the national average for the US ($9.90 per month), because electricity in South Carolina costs 15.6¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 7.1 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a heat pump dryer
- Clean both the lint filter and the heat exchanger filter regularly.
- Do not overload. Heat pump dryers are sensitive to airflow.
- Use the auto-dry sensor rather than timed programs.
In standby it draws about 1 W, which adds roughly 9 kWh ($1.36) per year if it is never unplugged.
Is switching from a clothes dryer to a heat pump dryer worth it? Savings and payback
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heat pump dryer cost per load?
About 1.5 kWh, versus 3 kWh or more for a vented dryer.
Why does a heat pump dryer take longer?
It dries at a lower temperature. The energy saving comes from reusing the heat.
Is a heat pump dryer worth the higher price?
For households drying several loads a week, the savings typically repay the difference within a few years.
Compare with
Cost by region
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
- Clothes Iron1,500 W typical
- Vacuum Cleaner1,000 W typical
- Robot Vacuum30 W typical
- Clothes Dryer3,000 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz