Venting a Dryer Inside

By Denise (Guest Post)

Does this bucket cause moisture?

By Candis S. (Guest Post)

I just last night found out that the remodel done 5 yrs. ago on my basement where the laundry room was relocated did NOT have the dryer vented outside. I found the other end of the hose just lying on the floor on the other side of the wall in my furnace closet. It had some little plastic vented cap on it so it was no accident. Do I have recourse against the construction company? I am very alarmed at what I'm reading about this, as it is a GAS dryer.

By Chris (Guest Post)

I know that venting a GAS dryer indoors would be extremely dangerous, because of carbon monoxide it produces.

Venting an electric dryer indoors would cause heat and moisture to accumulate inside, but there could be times when that it very desirable, like when it is 20 degrees outside, and the air indoors is extremely dry because the home is heated with a forced air heating system.

It seems to me that the warm moist air from the ELECTRIC dryer exhaust is exactly what is missing from the indoor air UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.

Any additional thoughts on this premise? Hidden hazards I am not thinking of?

By Chris (Guest Post)

I know that venting a GAS dryer indoors would be extremely dangerous, because of carbon monoxide it produces.

Venting an electric dryer indoors would cause heat and moisture to accumulate inside ...but there could be times when that it very desirable, like when it is 20 degrees outside, and the air indoors is extremely dry because the home is heated with a forced air heating system.

It seems to me that the warm moist air from the ELECTRIC dryer exhaust is exactly what is missing from the indoor air UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.

Any additional thoughts on this premise? Hidden hazards I am not thinking of ?

By JUSTIN (Guest Post)

What about all the moisture what do you do about that? Does the bucket catch a lot of it?

By truthiness (Guest Post)

I just had to comment regarding snoozer55's suggestion. It's a well intended suggestion but please be very careful!

Dryers pose significant & very real fire (due to lint) & health (due to mold) risks. That's why building codes are so specific about dryer venting.

It's critical to avoid restricting the airflow (you're not even suppose to allow sheet metal screws to protrude into the vent). And it's obvious from the picture there is not enough exhaust holes to allow proper venting.

This would never pass code, permits more than enough moisture to form mold, will increase the time it takes to dry your clothes, & is a maintenance headache. But if you're inclined to do this, at the very least cut large 4" holes & optionally attach coarse stainless steel screen.

BTW, I commend snoozer's ingenuity & completely agree there should be a better solution, like some sort of a heat exchanger & condenser unit. It's a shame to waste the heat & water.

Good luck!

By

mulberry204

I used my dryer a few times when the hose became disconnected, & saw mold spores. It was very damp. I don't think it's a good idea at all.

By

Cyinda

When I was younger I moved in to a house we'd just bought & started using the electric dryer without bothering to vent it to the outside & guess what!? The mirrors in the WHOLE house steamed TOTALLY up & everything was damp everywhere in the house... It left a very moist & somewhat warm foggy feeling in the house. This was not cool in the least, so I quickly got the dryer vented properly because I feared I was causing dangerous mold spores to grow (from the warm damp air) inside the bedding, sofa, carpeting & it's under-pad... It also isn't good for anyone with allergies... And I bet it's acutally dangerous if you have a gas powered dryer, because of possible carbon dioxide & gas fumes.

* If you live in a dry area (Like Arizona) you could open the windows & run a load or two, (If you REALLY need some clean clothes before you can get it hooked up) this wouldn't hurt anything, but I wouldn't do it on a regular basis. Also, be sure to have your dryer hooked up properly, because if you use a plastic vent hose & not the fire-resistant metal type, then if lint gets stuck in a kink or bend of the line a nasty house fire might start!

By Harry (Guest Post)

Putting a nylon over a vent pipe can cause a fire.
Never vent a dryer into a house. Some people do this by putting a nylon stocking over the vent pipe because they think it is a cheap source of heat. While it is true that it heats up the interior of the home, it adds moisture to the air which causes mildew, mold and fungi growth, and dry rot of the framing members in the laundry room area walls, floors, and ceilings.