Clothes dryer vents should be rigid and properly routed.
Clothes dryers require vents to direct the air they use outside of the room where they operate to keep the accumulated fibers from building up in the appliances. Built-up lint can overheat and cause fires, impede the efficiency of the dryer and infuse the air with polluting particles harmful to humans and pets. Choose only approved venting materials, and follow installation guidelines for safe dryer operation.
Vent Materials
Some of the safest and most durable clothes dryer vent materials are ducts made of rigid galvanized steel or rigid aluminum. You can use flexible metal ducting as long as it is not made from flimsy accordion-style aluminum or plastic, which sags and droops, causing lint and fiber buildup in the duct bends, which is easily ignited by the heat of the dryer.
Venting System Requirements
Based on standards established by the International Building Code and Underwriters Laboratories, a typical dryer vent cannot exceed 25 feet in length. Bends in the duct material reduce this allowance. Every 90-degree angle reduces the length by 5 feet and each 45-degree bend takes 2 1/2 feet off the allowable length. Certain dryer models may have exceptions to these restrictions that are listed in their manuals, along with vent height guidelines.
Venting Configuration
Ideally, the vent from a dryer is a straight duct from the back of the dryer to the outdoors, which is frequently impossible, especially in homes where the washer and dryer are on the same floor as other household appliances instead of placed against an exterior wall in a dedicated laundry room in a basement or garage. When routing venting ducts through numerous rooms, map out a plan that requires the least amount of material and minimal twists and turns.
Dryer Vent Safety
Regardless of your dryer vent length or layout, it must not be connected with any other venting system and must end up outdoors. Routing the vent into an auxiliary vent, chimney, crawlspace or other empty space in the house is inefficient and dangerous. When directing the duct to the outside, avoid having it terminate under partially enclosed areas, such as window wells, porches or decks, where the heat could pose a fire hazard. Don't use screens on the end of the venting duct as they cause lint buildup in the line. Equip the end of the vent with a back draft damper hood and an alarm that emits a warning sound when the lint builds up to unsafe levels.
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