# Help, how & where can I vent a 2nd floor dryer?



## jaes (Nov 18, 2007)

I am installing a "stack" unit washer/dryer room on the 2nd floor of a 90 yr+ old house. LAYOUT SITUATION: Forgetting the detailed room lay-out of the 2nd floor, the whole area of the 2nd floor (exterior wall to exterior wall) is a rectangle 28' wide X 35' long with the gable ends of the house are at the 35' ends. The washer/dryer room is located in the near the center of the above described rectangle. I had wanted to vent the dryer, by simply coming off the back of the dryer, going up to the the 2nd floor ceiling with the 4" dryer vent pipe, turn along the ceiling (with a 90 degree elbo), and head out the side of the house. The total length of vent pipe, from back of dryer to exit at side of house is less than 10'. THE PROBLEM: I can NOT, simply, run along the 2nd floor ceiling and drill a 4" exit hole through the side of the house; because, as it turns out, if I drill that hole --- it would come out 1.5" ABOVE the roof-line! NOT out the SIDE of the house!--Put another way, the exterior SIDE of the house starts 1.5' BELOW the 2nd floor ceiling! ---To deal with this problem, I looked for another venting route: I thought of going up from the dryer back, through the 2nd floor ceiling, into an attic space---once in the attic I could head straight for one of the gable ends of the house (to exit the vent). I can't---the lenght of the pipe run (back of dryer to gabel exit is 23' (Code is 24') But there will be two 90 degree elbos in use, each el subtracts from allowable lenght, so that puts me over code allowed length. Ok, you got the situation/problem. I would appreciate any helpful suggestions/solutions. ---Jaes.


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

There might still be a couple options for you.

Does your house have soffits? If so, perhaps you could mount the dryer vent in the soffit facing down. Since it would be oriented vertically, you'd want to make sure that it had a screen to keep bugs out, because the louver might hang open. 

The other option is to vent through the roof. They make dryer vent termination caps for roofs. It can be done by a DIYer if you're familiar with making roofing repairs. I don't care for running dryer vents very far vertically if it can be avoided, and don't consider the roof a very good option. 

You might want to check your dryer's installation instructions. A lot of modern dryers are capable of pushing a lot farther than the code's maximum allowable accumulated length, and the manufacturer's spec overrides code. I'm not advocating a long length of vent if it can be avoided, it can be a real hazard if lint builds up if the dryer can't create enough static pressure to exhaust the lint.


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## jaes (Nov 18, 2007)

*Soffit venting is possible --any recommended kits/methods?*

First, "thekctermite," thanks for the reply. As I am thinking of it, I could go up from the dryer (about 3' max. --it's a stacked dryer), then run about 7' or 8' in the attic---and I be right at the soffit. --That would be a great solution --and it's a short distance to outside. ---Since reading your post, I "Googled" soffit dryer venting--- on the internet, one or two people expressed a concern about cold air getting back to the interior of the house if there were no workable vent "flapper" (e.g., the flapper in a normal side mount instillation work with gravity--- the downward venting through soffit wouldn't allow this to happen. ----That concern was expressed ---but there must be a way or a "kit" that allows the installer to put in a "air check-valve" in the horizonal line (4" pipe), before you turn the pipe verticle out the soffit? ---I like the soffit idea ---it is a good solution ----Now, before I try to find or rig-up some sort of "air check-valve" device ---could someone out there in internet land, please, tell me about any soffit venting kits that specifically includes a "flapper" device to stop back drafts (some soffit kits do NOT include this). ---I would very much appreciate brand names and model numbers of such kits or devices ---a website would be great. ----Jaes.


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