Gas Appliances for Dummies

Where's your "return" line, Kurt?

It's not unusual for our researchers to run across a stupid question while wandering the pages of eHow or some other niche site published by Leaf Group (the former DMS, or Demand Media Studios¹). We all know it's possible to answer a stupid question without being condescending or, worse, stupid yourself. Apparently Kurt Schanaman isn't so good at answering stupid questions, though, as he amply demonstrated while explaining "How to Tell an Electric Dryer from a Gas Dryer" for the mother lode of misinformation, eHow.com (and since moved to HomeSteady.com, and then deleted²).

Assuming you have at least a little common sense, you might envision this scenario when you see that question: Joe and Mary buy a house that comes with the laundry appliances, but the dryer stops working. When it comes time to replace it, how do these newbies to the world of appliances figure out the heat source?

The answer's pretty darned easy: you look at the back of the dryer and

• If there's a big, fat electrical plug with prongs in the shape of a Y, it's electric.
• If there's a thin corrugated metal tube connecting the dryer to a pipe with a shutoff handle, it's gas.

It really is that simple; except, perhaps, for apartment-size dryers that run on 110 volts (but there still wouldn't be a gas supply line). But Schanaman had a problem: even that wordy pair of answers is only 34 words, and he needed something like 300 to meet the DMS minimum word count. That's why Kurt padded out his answer with... well, with stupid stuff, beginning in his introduction: "The only difference with gas and electric dryers is in cost of operation rather than efficiency, as all units must meet or exceed state and federal efficiency standards, as of 2010. Choosing between a gas or electricity-powered dryer is a simple matter of knowing where to look on the appliance when shopping." But wait: why on earth does he think we're buying a dryer here? Not to mention that lots of people think there's a significant difference in dryers... but we digress. Kurt goes on to explain how to tell the two dryers apart:

"Look at the sales tag on the dryer if it is a new unit on a sales floor. If "LP", "LP Gas" or "Propane" appears on the tag, then the dryer is designed to operate on natural gas (if LP) or propane."

Clearly, the moron's never bought a new dryer, because most models can be ordered with either gas or electric power. Almost none come from the factory propane-powered, though:  that requires modification after the sale. And then there's this rubbish:

"Look at the back of the dryer, if not a new unit on a sales floor, and make note whether there are two gas line nozzles on the back of the unit. The nozzles will have valve handles on them and will most generally be marked 'Supply' and 'Return.'"

What an idiot! The "nozzle"– there's only one, by the way, because there is no return line on a gas appliance (not even a commercial gas dryer) – doesn't have a "handle." The shutoff valve is on the supply pipe, because otherwise there would be natural gas escaping whenever no appliance is in place. Moron. Small wonder Mr. Schanaman is collecting another Dumbass of the Day award - his fifth.

¹ You can't spell "dumbass" without "DMS"!
² The original has been deleted by Leaf Group, but can still be accessed using the Wayback machine at archive.org. Its URL was   ehow.com/how_7238418_tell-electric-dryer-gas-dryer.html

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