I have discovered (duh) that my laundry room in my newly constructed (not yet drywalled)house sits in the middle of the house. Actually it shares a wall with the attached garage. Every where else that I have lived the laundry room was on an outside wall where it was no problem to vent the dryer outside. In this case my only option is to take the vent up to the attic and out to the soffitt. I would estimate that the length of the duct would be around 30 ft with numerous bends. I could also vent it into the adjoining garage. Would the second option be a bad thing? Is there a good product that I could vent into in the garage or is anything really needed?
Thanks
Tom
Replies
Definitely a bad idea.
I've been in garages where that was done. Everything had a very damp feel - Even the inside of the cars.
Not to mention that it would add a whole bunch of moisture that would condense on the framing during cold weather.
If you're using a gas dryer it would obviously be a serious CO2 hazard.
All in all, I think it's a really bad idea. You would be better off to run the 30' of duct and use a booster fan.
Don't vent the dryer to the garage or into the attic space. Don't vent thru the soffit within a good distance of any place where close by soffit vents supply air flow back into the attic space.
You simply don't want to dump water vapor anywhere within the structure or into the path of air that will be coming right into the structure.
If you have a gable end wall to use, that is first choice. Up through the roof to a vent there is fine, although that is another roof penetration that has to be flashed properly.
Others will add to what I've said.
I've just learned another bad location.On a house I did a few years ago, I vented near the inside corner of intersecting exterior walls. I was just back there and see black mildew stain all around within a couple feet of that venet. Seems the air swirls there and moisture condenses on the wall surface instead of venting away. The inside corners create a venturi
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You can add an in line booster fan for long runs to increase flow rates. Be sure that it is in an accessible location for service and cleaning.
But soffit venting is usually not a great idea either. vapour vented out there gets sucked back into the attic and needs to be re-vented out the ridge.
You do NOT want to vent it into the garage, but why not just route through the garage to the outside wall
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Yeah ... I'm w/ everyone here. Absolutely not into the garage. Soffit ... not much better ... unless maybe you eliminate soffit venting w/in say 3-5 ft of it ... but that could be iffy as well (depending on prevailing wind, etc.).
Take it straight through the roof. Roof boot w/ a damper in it, $12 ... piece of mind ... priceless.
Dryer instructions should tell you limits on vent piping, elbows, etc. Read it. It will give you limits of straight pipe combined w/ elbows. Older dryer ... maybe contact mfg or go on line to get some guidance. In absence of that the building official may tell you what your limits are.
Why isn't the contractor dealing with this? Or are you doing this yourself?
You could take it into the garage and then along the wall to an exterior wall.
That way if there is a problem with the vent it is exposed inside the garage and acceptable for cleaning or trouble shooting.
I just did this using 4" PVC drain ( thin) pipe. The PVC is strong, is straight, and looks better along the wall.
Edited 9/9/2008 9:56 am ET by popawheelie
And builds up a hellish static charge if you force enough lint through it. Keep your filter clean ;)Z
I've heard that. I wrapped a # 14 bare copper wire around the outside of the pvc. One end I screwed to the dryer and the other to a ground rod outside by the end of the vent. I haven't driven a ground rod yet.
I'm wondering. Have you experienced the static build up first hand? I'm just curious because I've heard a lot about static build up but haven't seen it.
That's not say it doesn't happen. I'm just curious if you experienced it and what were the circumstances.
Just thinking out loud. If I don't clean the filter there is more lint going down the vent?
That doesn't make sense. If I clean the filter more air and small particles go down the vent.
Was the build up on one dryer or were there more than one going into a duct?
From what I've heard the volume of air has a lot to do with build up.
Does one clothes dryer move enough air to get a build up?
Like I said, I'm just curious.
Well, my experience is with blowing fiberglass insulation through a PVC pipe. It built up enough static electricity that it sounded like a gun going off when it discharged. I got shocked real bad a couple of times (I don't learn too quick ;), before I grounded the pipe. You've got to ground out the inside of the pipe though, since the pipe is non-conductive. You might be able to get away with drilling a small hole for the wire and epoxying it in place. As for lint build up, I would assume that since the dry lint screens aren't all that well sealed, once you get enough build up on the screen, you either start forcing lint through the screen or around the screen. The screening isn't all that small on most screen, though I don't what the average lint particle size is, I assume it varies greatly since you get lint build up at the vent exit as well. Enough of that, coupled with the excess heat now that the dryer isn't venting properly = fire??What I think would be the determining factor for static buildup igniting the airstream would be at what point in the drying cycle does the airstream become most loaded with lint, and in what relationship that curve is with the loading of the lint screen and its decreasing permeability. The chances of static buildup in a moist lint laden airstream is very little, but that assumes that lint is ejected while the load is still wet, something I doubt since the lint particles would be wet and too heavy to become airborne. If the screen is only 50% effective, and most lint is ejected at the end of the cycle, the airstream is going to hot, dry, and loaded with lint. Perfect for static buildup.The other factor I've not though about is the lint capacity of the clothing. I bet there are engineers at Maytag who spend years analyzing lint output vs. clothing type, or vs. air stream temperature. I wonder what is the most flammable lint type? Wool? Cotton? Synthetics?It's funny that something as simple as clothes drying could be so complex. Maybe that's the reason my mother line-dried everything? Z
"Well, my experience is with blowing fiberglass insulation through a PVC pipe. It built up enough static electricity that it sounded like a gun going off when it discharged. I got shocked real bad a couple of times (I don't learn too quick ;)"Good ol' Ben Franklin built a gadget that was supposed to be useful for stunning rabid dogs (sort of an 18th century taser) and its description sounds a lot like these vent pipe stories. He didn't have PVC, so he used a length of glass tube on a wood handle and it was charged up by rubbing with wool felt. The thing was nearly lethal when fully charged.
Plugged filters are more efficient filters ... yes! But they move considerably less air ... which the dryer isn't designed for ... so it overheats because it can't get rid of the heat.
Most modern dryers will simply shut down completely or turn off the element when the blockage is too great making the airflow too little. Nicce safety feature, but it makes for some call-backs until customers learan to read the directions and clean the filter!;)
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The code only allows for metal pipe because of potential fire.But I doubt that static electricity is any problem. These have been discussed and studied for years for woodworking dust collectors.And it isn't a problem. The only place that it is a problem is large industrial application where they have large amounts of very fine dust from MDF.But dryer fires are a problem. The fire starts in the dryer and goes out the vent..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I wouldn't dump it in the garage, but rather run the duct thru the garage to an outside wall. But because the common wall between house and garage should be fire rated, you will need to soffit the duct and enclose it with 5/8" fire rated drywall, with tape and at least one coat of JC.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
As stated here, I too would enter and exit through the garage some how. Also PVC for cloths dryers is AGAINST code. The inside can and sometimes will melt, and you'll never see it on the outside of the pipe.
Run it out into the garage, turn 90 deg and head for the nearest side wall to the garage.
I have exactly that in my house/garage. I used galv. pipe and I hid it by building a work bench right over the top of the 4" vent pipe.
One more reason not to vent into the garage.
A very real possibility of getting co from the garage into the house.
another reason....
it will make the garge door opener go crazy...
or kill it...
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Never did read if it was elec or gas dryer.
If electric, I'll be contrary and say vent it where ever you want, but may want to add a dehumidifier depending on geography.
My dad vented directly into the basement during the winter the entire time they ever had a dryer - maybe 50 years, no problems, but mom always hung outside during spring thru fall and humidity was needed in the winter. Just 40 some miles from Ron.
I've vented directly into my basement for over 42 years, no problems - both pop and I use a plenum with a 16x20 furnace filterm to catch the lint. DW also hangs clothes on the solar dryer late spring to mid-September (PNW) so summer humidity ot a problem.
So:
1- put up clothes lines for the warm, humid times of the year and there are no dryer venting concerns or humidity.
2 - if ya got a gas dryer, go to the outside, period
3 - the humidity in a dryer vent means there will not be a problem with static, cannot generate sttic under high humidity conditions - still pvc a dumb idea for a heated air vent.
4. Build yourself a good lint filter and keep it maintained.
Your points are good ... except when you vent into a cooler garage in the winter, it is much different than in a heated space that may be craving a little extra humidity. Vent into a cold garage and the humidity shoots WAY up ... and you risk condensation on every cool surface.
I've also seen 'no problem' venting inside the house as long as it is not all year long. But you can't use the same logic with the poster's situation.
Don't they make a heat exchanger for dryer venting? I've seen the simple baffle/damper dryer vent diverter, but that puts a fair amount of lint into the house. A heat exchanger would have to be able to be readily cleaned/washed or have some other filter on it.
Thanks for the advice. I have decided that I must avoid venting into the garage. One problem that I have is that the garage is arranged so that coming through the laundry room wall, turning 90 and heading for the nearest exterior wall is not possible because I have two doors to cross. I've decided that straight up through the roof is probably the best solution. I went to this site http://www.dryerbox.com/ and found that they have some pretty neat products including a roof vent. One thing I also learned is to insulate the pipe going through the attic to keep condensation from becoming a problem. Thanks for your help.Tom
If blowing dryer vent into the cellar caused no problem over 50 years, then it means that the house likely was a lot older than that. Typical of old construction, it probably was leaky in the winter, and the high air infiltration quickly removed the moisture and dried any condensation in the walls.More recent construction is tighter, or at least has to follow codes aimed at energy efficiency, even if improperly implemented yet passed by the BI. Moisture control can't be ignored anymore.
Very good point about the older house thing ... very leaky = very resilient to moisture issues that can plague modern efficient cosntruction.
I think your recommendations are technically correct. But keep in mind that the vast majority of people aren't as intelligent as you, and many lack common sense.How many people are gonna know the difference between when humidity is high and when it's low? When we moved into our first house, I tried to teach the XW when to vent the dryer and when not to. But it was basically impossible - She just didn't get it. Eventually I hooked the dryer up to vent outside permanently so I didn't have to try to explain it any more. It made life a lot simpler.
I like a man who grins when he fights. [Winston Churchill]
it will make the garge door opener go crazy
good comment to lead into a 'thread hijack' - most commercial electronics do not have confomral coated circuit boards, condensation can kill them.
Any electronic item I buy gets taken apart and the circuit board sprayed or brushed with clear polyurethane, then ther are no humidity problems.
good plan....
done the same...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!