I’ve never seen a gas dryer vented vertically. Any reason why we can’t just go straight up through the wall with galvanized ducting and terminate with a roof jack? I was thinking it could be similar to a range hood termination. The wall in question is framed 2 X 6, so there’s room for the ducting.
Going horizontal would violate the 14 ft max. distance rule and besides, the wall termination would end up just below a bedroom window.
Thanks,
Jim
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Replies
Rockfish,
No, there is no reason that this cannot be done. The reason it is seldom done is that a wall cap costs 1/5th that of a roof jack. Some folks like to keep roof penetrations to a minimum.
Tim
there a big reason, your house will catch fire. some lint always pass the screen, it will build up and the next call is allstate.
Lint build-up and periodic cleaning is always important no matter which way the vent runs. The cruise ship "Ecstacy" fire was $17 mil. in damage, caused by dryer lint in the vent.
-- J.S.
And this is different from a horizontal vent in what way? Lint will pass the screen and collect in the duct.
With a horizontal vent the lint stays were it initially stops. With a vertical vent the lint forms into clumps and then falls down to the bottom of the vent and blocks it (or just falls down to where it combines with another clump and blocks the vent partway down).--------------
No electrons were harmed in the making of this post.
With the vertical vent, why don't you just run a T fitting off the dryer, with one side capped and the other leading up and out? The capped end would act as a lint trap - when it falls, it falls below the air path. Plus, it allows easy access for a brush without disconnecting the whole works.Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
That works if the lint falls all the way down, and if the trap is cleaned regularly.It should be pointed out that NO dryer vent should ever be installed in a way that makes it impossible to access for cleaning. Provisions for cleanout of its entire length should always be made.--------------
No electrons were harmed in the making of this post.
think about insulating the pipe where it would run through a cold area (unconditioned space). That hot wet exhaust would condense quickly and probably run down, exiting an unsealed joint in the pipe.
A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
What type of roof, lint will stick to asphalt and it looks like hell, saw a condo project where they vented the dryers thru the roof on the first few buildings but then changed when they saw the buildup.
Yeah, I like going up on the second story to clear a lint jam or bird nest out of the dryer vent. And you ever get a chipmonk or bird stuck in the dryer that fell down the roof vent? And the dryer vent works real swell with a foot of snow on top.
The problems are two-fold, and have already been mentioned:
1) Running the vent through an unheated space will promote condensation and clogging.
2) Lint will collect in the vent and peel off in chunks, collecting at the bottom and clogging the vent.
A minor problem (3) is that lint will collect on the roof and be unsightly.
Insulating the vent as it goes through the attic space will help prevent condensation. Arranging to make the whole thing easy to clean (and then cleaning frequently) will help with the clogging.
There is a booster fan that's available that will enable you to have longer runs. That may be the best answer.
Don't be tempted to simply terminate the vent in the attic space. This is bad for two reasons:
1) The humidity will collect in cold weather and can soak your insulation and rot your framing.
2) Dryer lint is EXTREMELY flammable and you can get an explosive fire from the collected lint in an attic space.
No electrons were harmed in the making of this post.
is your dyrer lint always blue? does this say something about our lifestyle. (yes, I include myself)?
Have you ever used one of the booster fans? I may need to add one for our gas dryer. Vertical exhaust up about 6 feet then a horizontal run of about 14 feet......the old dryer handled it fine but the new one needs some help..... --Ken
I have not. But others here have said they work pretty well.--------------
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I think everybody has missed one important point
and that is, this is a GAS dryer. You can't vent a dryer under
a vented soffit because the combustion gases can be drawn into the
attic. Your only solution (if you have vented soffit) is to close
of the soffit vents within 10ft. in either direction.
Also this assumes there are no operable windows in the same 10ft. area
in either direction.
I believe your only option is to vent through the roof and the way
I would do it is use to 4" vent elbows at the end of your pipe
and make a shepherds hook. Don't use one of those gas termination
caps. All those do is collect lint big time. If you have snow
where your at just extend the pipe up high enough to clear any
snow you might have.
Never vent a gas dryer into an attic.
Never vent ANY dryer into the attic. That would be STOOPID!
Right on!
stoopid, indeed
Even worse than a bath vent.
the problem with dryer vent pipe filled with lint is.... They catch on fire.
Actually dryer lint is an excellent firestarter for campouts. Or charcoal powered water heaters.
Yeah, lots of folks like to use it for "tinder" when starting a fire with flint and steel.
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I vented my gas dryer through the roof when I first moved into my house ten years ago. Ther previous owner had added an addition that kept it from being v ented through a side wall, so they simply had it vented into the basement. My wife was aghast that my first "home improvement" was to bore a hole in our roof. I extended it two feet above the roof line before putting on a vented cap so it wouldn't immediately melt all of the surrounding snow (it was on the back of the house where a two-foot stack wouldn't be unsightly). Anyway, I just cleaned it this fall for the first time while improving my insulation in the attic (I worried about it for the past five years or so). It really wasn't that dirty at all, and I haven't had a problem with condensation in the attic, or melting snow on the roof. Of course it has only been there for a decade...
Do you think a vertical run might collect less lint that a horizontal? Would some of it be suspended in the air stream, and fall to the bottom when the dryer goes off?
-- J.S.
Well, there wasn't much linty atthe bottom of the stack either. Maybe I just got lucky. You are probably right about the vetical stack working better. I could see how if you use a horizontal stack, everytime ther dryer shuts off, some lint would settle to the bottom. But I'll bet a lot of it just blew right out through the roof. I used that flexible aluminum for the first ten years, but replaced it with snap-lock pipe.
In general, a vertical vent is more likely to clog. There are a number of variables, of course, especially how good the dryer is at removing lint, and how strong the draft is. But a vertical is always going to clog faster than a horizontal, in identical conditions.--------------
No electrons were harmed in the making of this post.
Whatever you do don't use that expandable duct pipe. The ribs in the pipe cause too much resistance and catch more lint than rigid duct (and it's not code). Consider moving your laundry area to a location the dryer can be vented directly out a side wall. As a firefighter in St. Louis I've responded to alot of Carbon monoxide calls that were a result of unvented/misvented dryers and a few house fires caused by lint build up. Most of the fires were easily preventable with a little common sense (as are most fires). The problem with the clean out idea is that most dryers vent outlet are so close to the floor you can't get a tee installed in the proper position. I have my dryer at home on a 10" elevated platform. Not for a clean out-so I don't have to bend over so far to load and unload the thing. Doesn't sound like muh difference but it feels alot better!