I am relocating my dryer. I had the gas line relocated and a dedicated circuit put in for the washer and dryer. The original location had the option for an electric dryer. We have a gas dryer and will probably never have an electric dryer due to the high cost of electricity in our area. I am wondering if new houses typically have just one or the other or both. It's relatively easy to run 35ft of 10/3, but I'd rather use the available breakers in the panel for something else.

Most people in my area have older homes and have both hookups, but I believe the only reason they have both is because the cost of electricity was on par with gas in the 70's

How common is it for new homes to have gas-only dryer hookups in areas where gas is cheaper than electricity?


Around here (Pacific Northwest), electricity is inexpensive and gas is reasonable too. However, over the last five years, gas prices have declined and will continue to do so and electric has crept up slowly and probably will forever. Almost all houses here have electric dryers and every single rental (house, apartment, condo) is only electric, even those with gas fireplaces, water heaters, and ranges.

Personally, I like the option of using either gas or electric. It would not increase the price I'd pay for the house, but it would be one less barrier to moving in. And that might sway a non-buyer into a buyer.

If it were me, I'd relocate the abandoned wire to be near the new location. If an unused breaker is actually a problem, just run the wire into the panel full length (so it can be connected anywhere when the time comes) and tuck it out of the way, and secure it, maybe all wires into the neutral strip. Install the outlet and mark it "not connected". Place the heavy duty outlet to be semi-accessible so that it could be used by some future high power appliance, like a big air compressor, welder, hot tub, sauna, etc.


The value from what I've learned is the available option to yourself, but more specifically when you resell the home it's a bonus to the potential buyers and seen as positive. Beyond that, until the day comes to sell, and already knowing you wouldn't be using the electrical hookup. There's no value I can think of.

  • Yes, I'm specifically interested in resale/rental value. If building/remodeling a home for resale or to rent, would you install dual dryer hookups? – Paul Jul 3 '14 at 19:39
  • Depends on the area, if nobody you really know uses electric than odds favor it might not matter. I live in an area where it's mixed, so depending on how much trouble it would be too personally I'd lean toward going ahead and doing it so it's ready to go in case. – Chris W. Jul 3 '14 at 21:55

If you are remodelling anyway, it probably costs very little more to move the electric-dryer circuit along with putting in the gas tap. You might at least want to consider roughing in in that circuit with tape to allow wire to be pulled through later, so that installing it when desired wouldn't require opening the wall and drilling holes.

If you're specifically thinking resale, I would suggest actually putting in the circuit, just to remove one possible reason for not bidding.

For rental... In most areas renters don't own laundry appliances, so they'd probably be using whatever you put in (and charge them for use of, as part of the rent). Or, if roughed in, you could delay installing the circuit without incurring much cost due to the delay.

If you need a breaker for other purposes, that can be dealt with by swapping out a single breaker for a dual (if the box will permit it) or forking off a secondary box. I understand the temptation to swipe the existing breaker position, but realistically the wires probably don't go where you'll need them anyway and the breaker's likely to be the wrong amperage for your intended application. (The one exception might be the situation I'm looking at, where it might make sense for me to route the dryer circuit a bit farther in the basement and use it to feed a secondary box in my workshop, so if I actually need the additional 30A there it'd be available.)

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