LINT BUILD-UP IS A FIRE HAZARD
Make sure to clean the lint screen in your clothes dryer often. Lint not caught by a lint screen will end up in the dryer vent.
A lint build-up can get overheated and is a potential fire hazard. It also will make the dryer work inefficiently and shorten its life span. |
TIPS
- Keep dryer vents as short as possible. Recommended maximum length for dryer vents depends on the make of the dryer but personally I would not go with a vent longer than 10 feet (3 m). If you need more than 10 feet I would suggest to move the dryer closer to an outside wall if you have that option.
- Where possible, do not use more than two elbows, one at the dryer and one where it is connected to the outside. For every other elbow added, deduct 5 feet (1.5 m) from the maximum length of duct allowed because elbows slow down air movement.
- NEVER allow the the duct to simply blow into an attic, crawlspace or other enclosed area.
- Clean the lint screen or catcher often. Escaping lint is a fire hazard, see USFA report below.
- Use only dryer vents made of sheet metal. Stay away from aluminum foil vents and semi-rigid flex tubing, see text to the left.
WARNING
Do not use a screen on the dryer vent cap where it exits to the exterior. The screen will get clogged in no time by lint residue which could lead to overheating of lint and/or dryer and cause a fire!
SUMMARY
- Clean the lint screen in the dryer often, preferably after each use.
- Keep dryer vents as short as possible by placing dryer against exterior wall.
- Use only sheet metal dryer vents. If this is not possible clean lint screen in your clothes dryer after each use.
For more information go to lint screens and lint catchers. |
| IF YOUR DRYER IS POWERED BY NATURAL GAS OR PROPANE, it is dangerous to vent to the inside! The exhaust gas is blown out with the heated air, thus poisoning your basement with various toxic gasses such as carbon monoxide, a known killer. |
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| Laundry Room and Dryer Vent Materials |
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Laundry room exhaust fan venting: Flexible vinyl ducting
Dryer venting: Aluminum foil duct. Flex duct. Snaplock sheet metal ducts
LAUNDRY ROOM VENTILATION
Laundry rooms should have an exhaust fan but many homes I inspected over a 28 year period do not have one. Damp or wet laundry can create a lot of moisture to the room which could lead to structural damage in the form of wood rot, mildew and/or mold. Ventilation is even more important if clothes lines or drying racks are used instead of a clothes dryer. Exhaust fan capacity (volume of air it can move) should be geared to the size of the laundry room. The most common way to vent a laundry room is to install a bathroom ceiling exhaust fan with flexable vinyl ducting connected to the outside. If the fan motor becomes too noisy do NOT disconnect the unit but install a new one.
Ventilation can also be provided by opening a window.
DRYER LOCATION
The clothes dryer should be placed against an exterior wall or as close as possible to it. The shorter the vent to the outside the better. Long vents are ineffective in moving hot air (and lint that wasn't caught by the lint screen) to the outside and may require a secondary lint trap and/or dryer vent booster fan.
1. Flexable vinyl ducting. NOT for dryer venting, see text.
2. Snaplock sheet metal ducting. My #1 choice for dryer venting, see text.
3. Aluminim foil ducting, not a good choice, see text.
4.
Semi-rigid aluminum ducting, not a good choice,see text. |
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EXTERIOR VENT HOOD
Do not use a screen on the dryer vent cap where it exits to the exterior. The screen will get clogged in no time by lint residue which could lead to overheating of lint and/or dryer and cause a fire!
If there is a problem with birds getting into the dryer duct fashion a cage made of lightweight chicken wire. Make it large enough so it does not interfere with the moveable flap. Another option to outsmart the birds is to install a vent that has small louvers rather than a single large flap. Many newer dryer vent hoods come with a pest guard.
| WARNING - DO NOT USE FLEXABLE VINYL DUCTING. IT IS A FIRE HAZARD!! |
Flexable vinyl ducting should NEVER be used for dryer venting. They are a fire hazard!!
The packaging is clearly labelled:
* NOT FOR USE IN DRYER VENTING.
* RECOMMENDED FOR BATHROOM FAN VENTING.
Despite the warnings, in my 28 years of inspecting homes, I have seen many dryers that were connected to vinyl ducting. Often the duct was partially melted by the heat from the dryer. Read also USFA stats on dryer fires below. |
SEMI-RIGID ALUMINUM (FLEX) DUCTS - WILL TRAP LINT AND COULD BE A FIRE HAZARD
Flex pipe is an accordion type of dryer vent that can be pulled out to the required length. This duct is easy to install (no joints, no elbows required) but the ribs slow down air flow considerably. Lint can get past the lint screen and cake the ducting. Flex tubes are especially prone to this. If the flex duct is not removed and cleaned regularly the accumulated lint will become a fire hazard.
ALUMINUM FOIL DUCTING - COULD BE A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD
This type of ducting is sold in a small box but the duct can be extended up to 8 feet (2.4 m). Labelling tells the consumer that it is recommended for all gas and electric dryers. This product is very flexible and not rigid at all. I have seen too many installations where the duct was not properly supported and sagging at places. The sagging sections become pockets where lint will get stuck. The ribs will also trap lint. If the duct is not cleaned regularly the accumulated lint will become a fire hazard, especially if the pockets are located close to the dryer. All spiral ribbed flexible and semi-rigid ducts, by mere design, reduce airflow and create lint build-up especially in longer runs.
SNAPLOCK SHEET METAL DRYER DUCTING
This should be the preferred choice of dryer vent material for any home owner concerned with conserving energy and fire prevention. The smooth surface prevents or slows down a possible lint build-up in the dryer vent. Clean vents make the dryer run more efficiently and eliminate the chance of a fire started by overheated lint.
TIP. Use tape to join vent sections. Do not use screws. Screws will catch lint.
DOCUMENTED CLOTHES DRYER FIRES
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has released a report stating that
clothes dryer fires account for an estimated 12,700 residential fires, 15 deaths and 400 injuries annually. The USFA attributes “Failure to clean” as the leading factor contributing to clothes dryer fires in residential buildings. |
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