Energy use at a glance

• The majority of electricity use comes from dry-cleaning machines and reciprocating equipment (such as air compressors, motors and lighting).
• A steam trap with a valve stuck half-open for half a year can result in an annual fuel cost of over $4,000.
• Dry cleaning machines use a lot of energy, ranging from .5 kW and greater (per machine), and put off a lot of excess heat, which increases the cooling load in a given space.

Tips & strategies to help save

• Professional wet cleaning is by far the most energy efficient of the five different cleaning techniques. Switching to wet cleaning could save as much as 75% of the electricity a dry cleaner uses.
• Avoid usage of high-energy equipment during on-peak time periods and consider staggered start-up every 15 minutes.
• Implement a chilled water loop system to reduce waste heat from pipes and to cool the pipes themselves, which is an efficient way to reduce the cooling load within a space.
• A poorly maintained air compressor system can waste between 25% and 35% of its air due to leaks alone.

– Turn off air compressor at the end of every shift/day; at the very least, consider closing the flow valve off to prevent leakage.f

• Install controls on boilers, such as vent (or flue) dampers that prevent chimney losses by closing off a boiler’s vent when the boiler isn’t firing.

Actual savings may vary and will depend on various factors, including geographic location, weather conditions, equipment installed, usage rates and similar factors.