Hi All,
My dryer is in my unheated basement/garage. During the winter, the temperature hovers around fifty degrees, which can make working in the shop area a bit uncomfortable. Also, with energy costs being what they are, I feel like I’m wasting heat when I see the steam rising from the vent outside. I was wondering about the ill effects of venting the dryer into the basement. I know that dumping a lot of moisture into a house isn’t a good idea but our house isn’t that well sealed to begin with. I could also run the dehumidifier at the same time but that would eat a bunch of electricity and negate some or all of the savings. Any thoughts?
Replies
nothing like breathing post combustion air... dose wonders for the brain.
I think it is a bad idea, You could try to rig up some sort of heat exchanger but i doubt that the laundry exhaust gets warm enough.
james
If he has an electric dryer (drier?) then there is no combustion.
That said, they do make filters for dryers in apartments & such that filter out the lint & allow the exhaust to re-enter the room
VERY moist, hot air hitting the cool dry surfaces of the basement is a recipe for mold and, eventually, rotted framing.
DON'T!
Troy Sprout
Square, Level & Plumb Renovations
I can see that being a problem in the summer, but would that be as much of an issue in the winter? Around here (South Jersey) the winter air is bone dry. I would think a little moisture added back in would be nice.
That said, its certainly something to keep in mind. Probrably would be good to keep an eye on the RH.
Had a dry vented to an uninsulatied garage for 30 years. No problem. I am sure a basement is different and perhaps even an insulated garage would be a problem as well.
Also full of lint (if no one has mentioned that)... all in all a terrible idea. If I'm not mistaken it's a code no no, and there're a few good reasons why.
We have one of the little flapper vents that you can get at most hardware stores which allows you to flip a lever to vent back into the room. It has a screen which captures most of the obvious lint (but probably not the really small particles, which may be a problem for some).
we're only doing laundry for 2 people, and have almost no problem with the moisture - a little bit of condensation on the 2 windows, but none noticeable on the concrete walls. Raises the temp in that room a few degrees for a little while, and probably helps a little with upping the humidity in the house.
Our main heat supply is a propane heater located in the finished side of the basement, and the air circulates through the house pretty well.
I could see where a large family doing a lot of laundry, with little circulation of the air, could create a moisture issue. You also get the "laundry smell" permeating the house to some extent, which may bother some people.
Don
Comming from a family of forced air heating guys, it's a no no. The moist air combined with the lint is the worst thing for you heating appliances, not to mention mold and rot.
When I first moved into my house I realized the dryer was vented into the garage.but put off addressing the problem, then couldn't figure out why all my tools were rusting up... Wow, not one of my sharpest moments.It also created alot of mold.
Bad idea - not necessarily always a problem, but, as noted, DO NOT do it if you have a gas dryer!!!! No way, never ever, unh unh unh!
The lint and humidity can lead to problems, and you might not see them unless you really know where to look.
Bad idea. But if you really want to save energy, plus help patch up the hole in the ozone layer, stop using the dryer and install a clotheline. Plus, that will free up space in the basement for another woodworking machine.