A clothes dryer accounts for about 12 percent of your yearly utility costs. Learn how to use a dryer efficiently and get the best results for your clothes.

• Separate lightweight fabrics from heavyweight ones for faster, more even drying.

• Never overload the dryer. The clothes need room to tumble freely for efficient drying and to prevent wrinkles.

• Whenever possible, dry full loads not just one or two items to save energy costs.

• Drying several loads consecutively saves energy because the dryer doesn't have to warm up each time.

• Don't add wet items to a partially dry load. It will confuse the moisture detector in your dryer and over dry some of your clothes.

•  Don't open the dryer door unnecessarily. You'll add time to the drying cycle by letting warm air escape.

•  Clean the lint screen after every load. Lint - even a little - lengthens the drying time.

•  If possible, install your dryer in a warm area. Unheated spaces make drying times longer.