Electrical Hand Dryers VS. Paper Towels

One of the worst things that can happen to you in a public bathroom is finding out, after washing your hands, that there are no more paper towels left. You may have arrived after a bunch of kids have already used the paper towels to clog the toilets or you may have just been unlucky. Ultimately we end up shaking our hands or wiping them on our pants so they are dry. This is one of the times that an electrical hand dryer could be a life saver. But if hand dryers are so much better then why haven’t more businesses gotten hand dryers?

If you are trying to figure out whether or not you should install a hand dryer or paper towels you just need to answer a couple of questions.

Ask Yourself:

A typical hand dryer uses about .03 kwh (kilo-watts/hour) costing about $14.58 a month. Every time a person goes into the bathroom, they use two paper towels to dry their hands. If you estimate the amount of traffic in and out of the bathroom on a daily basis, you can begin to understand how paper towels can be more expensive in the long run.

While hand dryers can be, initially, more expensive than a paper towel dispenser, it is still the smart and a great choice for those who are trying to go green. And over the next several months the hand dryer will have paid for itself. Paper towels cost you 5 cents every time a person comes to dry their hands. Hand dryers, on the other hand, only cost 7 cents for every 200 uses. And when a hand dryer is not using heat, it can cost as low as 4 cents for every 200 uses. As a result, your utility bill will begin to lower.

Benefits:

Hand dryers have not only proven to be the cheaper, but also cleaner option because of their ability to automatically start drying your hands. Infrared sensors have made the hand dryer a more sanitary option by eliminating the risk of spreading germs. They also create less maintenance for the owners. Paper towels won’t be laying all over the floor and waste receptacles won’t be as necessary. A hand dryer’s energy efficiency will not only save you on your utility bill but you also won’t have to buy as many trash bags.

Paper towels have not been winning any awards for their ability to go green so they end up having a few consequences.

What are some effects of paper towels?

It seems that the only negative aspect of an electrical hand dryer, in the long run, is not being able to get your hands dry fast. It usually takes about 43 seconds for a hand dryer to completely dry your hands.

There are some companies that have begun to recycle their paper towels. However this process still requires more energy for production and this is not including the amount of money that is put into chopping down the trees and their transportation.

After reading this blog do you still want to use paper towels or are you ready to switch over to hand dryers? Going green can be tough to do because we may not have the time or the money to spare. Not only will you save money and create more time; hand dryers are the greener way to go. Are you ready to go green?