Commercial Electricity for Laundromats in Texas
What a Texas laundromat pays for power - dryers, hot water, and washer motors running through long open hours - plus how to lower the bill.
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Texas has over 800 coin-operated laundromats (employer-run locations), and their power bill is driven by the machines themselves: dryers, water heating, and washer motors, plus HVAC and lighting over long hours. Below is what laundromats use and pay. See related guides for dry cleaners and apartment communities, or browse all commercial electricity guides by business type.
Key Takeaways
- A typical Texas laundromat uses about 8,000–20,000 kWh a month (roughly $660–$1,650 at ~8.3¢/kWh).
- Dryers and water heating lead where they run on electricity (many use gas).
- Washer motors and HVAC/ventilation add steady load.
- Long open hours and high machine turnover drive usage.
- Efficient machines, off-peak habits, and a competitive fixed rate are the biggest levers.
Laundromat Electricity Snapshot
Figures are estimates; laundromats using gas dryers and water heating shift much of this to the gas bill. See methodology below.
What It Costs to Run a Laundromat
A laundromat's electricity depends heavily on whether its dryers and water heating run on electricity or gas. Where they're electric, drying and hot water dominate; washer motors, HVAC, and lighting fill out the rest, all running through long - sometimes 24-hour - days.
Estimated usage & bill by store size
| Store size | Approx. sq ft | Monthly usage | Est. monthly bill* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small laundromat | ~1,500 | 5,000–10,000 kWh | $420–$830 |
| Typical laundromat | ~2,500 | 8,000–20,000 kWh | $660–$1,650 |
| Large / 24-hour | 4,000+ | 20,000–40,000+ kWh | $1,650–$3,300+ |
*Electricity portion at Texas's ~8.3¢/kWh average commercial rate, assuming electric dryers and water heating. Gas equipment shifts much of the load to the gas bill.
How does the Texas commercial rate compare?
Texas businesses pay an average of about 8.3¢ per kWh - roughly 38% below the U.S. commercial average of ~13.5¢. Because Texas is deregulated, you can shop the supply portion of your bill across 30+ retail providers and lock in a fixed rate - compare current commercial electricity rates.
Dryers, Hot Water, and Washers
Where the equipment is electric, drying and water heating are the biggest loads, with washer motors, HVAC, and lighting behind them.
| System | Why it draws power | Approx. share | Est. cost / month* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dryers (where electric) | Drying loads through the day | 30–40% | $330–$440 |
| Water heating (where electric) | Hot water for wash cycles | 15–20% | $165–$220 |
| Washer motors | Wash, agitation, and spin | 15–20% | $165–$220 |
| HVAC & ventilation | Cooling and exhausting a warm, humid space | 10–15% | $110–$165 |
| Lighting & other | Store lighting, changers, and vending | 8–12% | $90–$130 |
*Illustrative split of a ~$1,100/month all-electric laundromat bill. With gas dryers and water heating, the electric bill is dominated by washer motors and HVAC.
How Peak Wash-and-Dry Hours Drive Demand
Most of your bill is energy — the total kilowatt-hours (kWh) you use over the month. But many commercial accounts also carry a demand charge, billed on your single highest peak of power draw, measured in kilowatts (kW), usually over a 15-minute interval. It doesn't matter only how much electricity you use, but how fast you use it at your busiest moment.
How to keep demand charges down
- Encourage off-peak use with pricing or promotions to spread the busiest hours.
- Maintain dryers - clean lint screens and ducts so they run efficiently.
- Right-size HVAC and ventilation for the heat and humidity machines create.
- Watch your interval data to find the monthly peak.
Demand Response for Laundromats
Demand response is a program where businesses agree to reduce their electricity use for short windows when the Texas grid (ERCOT) is under strain — typically late afternoons on the hottest summer days. In exchange, participating businesses earn payments or bill credits.
Where Laundromats Cut Energy Costs
- Lock in a fixed commercial rate. Comparing 30+ Texas providers at the right time is usually the biggest single lever.
- Upgrade to efficient machines. High-efficiency washers and dryers use far less energy and water.
- Maintain dryers and ducts. Clean lint screens and ducting keep dryers running efficiently.
- Improve water heating. Heat-pump water heating (or gas) cuts a big electric load.
- Switch to LED and add ventilation controls. LED and demand-based ventilation trim steady load.
- Review demand and interval data. Knowing your peak kW shows whether a different rate structure would save money.
Related Commercial Electricity Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How much electricity does a laundromat use in Texas?
A typical Texas laundromat uses about 8,000 to 20,000 kWh per month, or roughly $660 to $1,650 at the state's average commercial rate of about 8.3¢ per kWh, assuming electric dryers and water heating. Laundromats that use gas for those shift much of the load to the gas bill.
What uses the most electricity in a laundromat?
Where dryers and water heating run on electricity, they are the biggest loads, followed by washer motors, HVAC and ventilation, and lighting. Many laundromats use gas dryers and water heating, which changes the mix.
What is the average commercial electricity rate in Texas?
Texas businesses pay an average of about 8.3¢ per kWh as of 2026, roughly 38% below the U.S. commercial average of about 13.5¢. Your actual rate depends on your ZIP code, utility (TDU), usage, and when you sign your contract.
How can a laundromat lower its electricity bill?
Upgrade to high-efficiency washers and dryers, maintain dryers and ducts, use heat-pump or gas water heating, switch to LED with demand-based ventilation, and lock in a competitive fixed rate.
Do laundromats pay demand charges?
Larger and 24-hour laundromats can. When rows of dryers and washers run at once with HVAC on a hot day, the peak in kilowatts is billed by a demand charge across the month; spreading the busiest hours helps.
What is demand response and can a laundromat earn from it?
Demand response pays businesses to reduce use during short summer grid-peak windows. A larger store can ease HVAC and encourage off-peak use during a peak window in exchange for bill credits.
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Get a Free Quote Call 866-284-9272Methodology & Sources
Business count: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 - 869 coin-operated laundries and drycleaners (NAICS 812310) in Texas with paid employees (many are nonemployer-owned). Average commercial rate: EIA / state commercial averages (Texas ~8.3¢/kWh; U.S. ~13.5¢/kWh, 2026). Usage and the energy-user split assume electric dryers and water heating; gas equipment shifts much of the load off the electric bill. Bills are electricity-only and exclude natural gas, taxes, fees, and any demand charges.
