Venting a dryer
 

The laundry room is on the main level of my house sort of in the
center of the structure.
The dryer vent goes down into the basment - travels between the floor
joists and out the back of the house..
The problem is that the distance of the the vented air has travel is
about 15 feet.
When the vent clogs it is a BIG pain to unclog.
The wall the dryer stands next to is the wall of my 2 car garage.
It would be very easy to vent the dryer into the garage and make
cleaning the vent very easy.
The pro's are ease of cleaning and it would provide some heat in the
attached, non-heated garage.
Would there be any cons like maybe moisture buildup.
So the question is, can I vent a dryer to an attached, non-heated
garage?

Thanks

Like you say, moisture would be a problem. And where there's moisture
there can be mould. IMO, I'd try to avoid anything remotely close to a
mould problem.

I'd first look at why your vent clogs and try to remedy that. Though
there can be some minor buildup on the walls of the vent tube, it
shouldn't be clogging. No matter where you run the vent, it's a hazard.
Clogs aren't usually predictable.

you already know the answer. if you dont want to believe it, vent away.

randy

So the question is, can I vent a dryer to an attached, non-heated
garage?

Thanks

"Ed Hayes" wrote in message

The pro's are ease of cleaning and it would provide some heat in the
attached, non-heated garage.
Would there be any cons like maybe moisture buildup.
So the question is, can I vent a dryer to an attached, non-heated
garage?

No. Not smart anyway, but it is also, against building code.

Moisture leads to rust.
Lint in the garage.
Code requirement for one hour separation between garage and house.

The vent duct should be metal, not flex.
Code & common sense suggest this.
A clean out at the elbow in the basement would help.

This is what the world gets for less than thoughtful design.

TB

I'd also take a look at what kind of dryer you have. Does it have a
decent lint filter? And what kind of opening is on the outside of the
house? Does it open correctly and allow full air flow?

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 06:13:57 -0700, "xrongor"
wrote:

you already know the answer. if you dont want to believe it, vent away.

randy

So the question is, can I vent a dryer to an attached, non-heated
garage?
why don't you try it for a year or so? hit all the seasons.
i doubt if your garage is sealed so well anyway. or once the vent
is in the garage area, turn and go along the wall outside.
build in some Ys for easy cleaning later on.

moisture is a problem if it builds up. everyone assumes
that the end-of-the-world is near. keep an eye on it.
maybe install temporarilly a moisture meter (hydrometer?)
and see the before and after readings.

better this than the fire hazard of a plugged dryer vent.
...thehick

"frank-in-toronto" wrote in message

better this than the fire hazard of a plugged dryer vent.
..thehick

Better to have fumes from the garage entering the house?

Ed Hayes wrote:
The laundry room is on the main level of my house sort of in the
center of the structure.
The dryer vent goes down into the basment - travels between the floor
joists and out the back of the house..
The problem is that the distance of the the vented air has travel is
about 15 feet.
When the vent clogs it is a BIG pain to unclog.
The wall the dryer stands next to is the wall of my 2 car garage.
It would be very easy to vent the dryer into the garage and make
cleaning the vent very easy.
The pro's are ease of cleaning and it would provide some heat in the
attached, non-heated garage.
Would there be any cons like maybe moisture buildup.
So the question is, can I vent a dryer to an attached, non-heated
garage?

Thanks

That warm moist air would not bad not only for the garage, but anything
in there, like cars.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

"frank-in-toronto" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 06:13:57 -0700, "xrongor"
wrote:

you already know the answer. if you dont want to believe it, vent away.

randy

So the question is, can I vent a dryer to an attached, non-heated
garage?
why don't you try it for a year or so? hit all the seasons.
i doubt if your garage is sealed so well anyway. or once the vent
is in the garage area, turn and go along the wall outside.
build in some Ys for easy cleaning later on.

moisture is a problem if it builds up. everyone assumes
that the end-of-the-world is near. keep an eye on it.
maybe install temporarilly a moisture meter (hydrometer?)
and see the before and after readings.

better this than the fire hazard of a plugged dryer vent.
..thehick

vents arent fire hazzards. people that dont clean them are.

randy

Ed Hayes wrote:
The laundry room is on the main level of my house sort of in the
center of the structure.
The dryer vent goes down into the basment - travels between the floor
joists and out the back of the house..
The problem is that the distance of the the vented air has travel is
about 15 feet.
When the vent clogs it is a BIG pain to unclog.

If it's solid 4 inch vent pipe going through the basement it shouldn't
clog easily. Don't use screws to hold pieces together; the sharp edges
on the inside are lint catchers.

Bob wrote:

Ed Hayes wrote:
The laundry room is on the main level of my house sort of in the
center of the structure.
The dryer vent goes down into the basment - travels between the floor
joists and out the back of the house..
The problem is that the distance of the the vented air has travel is
about 15 feet.
When the vent clogs it is a BIG pain to unclog.

If it's solid 4 inch vent pipe going through the basement it shouldn't
clog easily. Don't use screws to hold pieces together; the sharp edges
on the inside are lint catchers.

Be sure the lint filter in the dryer is cleaned after each use so airflow
is strong.
If there are outside louvers make sure they open freely.
Try cleaning by blowing a leaf blower into the dryer filter vent in the
dryer.

LB

"frank-in-toronto" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 06:13:57 -0700, "xrongor"
wrote:

you already know the answer. if you dont want to believe it, vent away.

randy

So the question is, can I vent a dryer to an attached, non-heated
garage?
why don't you try it for a year or so? hit all the seasons.
i doubt if your garage is sealed so well anyway. or once the vent
is in the garage area, turn and go along the wall outside.
build in some Ys for easy cleaning later on.

moisture is a problem if it builds up. everyone assumes
that the end-of-the-world is near. keep an eye on it.
maybe install temporarilly a moisture meter (hydrometer?)
and see the before and after readings.

better this than the fire hazard of a plugged dryer vent.
..thehick

I've tried that. I cant recommend venting into the garage. Everything in
there gets very damp and any metal gets a thin film of moisture. Only way
I've been able to prevent it is to actually run a vent hose under the garage
door.
B

"Good idea on the leaf blower. Amazing what you can use those things
for.

I saw a guy on TV using the mulcher-end of the thing as a snow blower
(no,
he didn't have the bag attached). "

I saw Bill Murray demonstrate how to use one to clean an apartment on
Caddy Shack too!