# Need Dryer Vent Ideas



## LarryJ-nova (Jul 9, 2013)

The dryer shown below vents to a screened porch on the back of the attached garage. At some point I want to enclose the porch for 3-season use. Regardless, I need to move the vent and had planned to move it against the left wall venting it out the side of the garage. However, I'd prefer to save space in the garage and get a stackable leaving it in its current spot. Just don't know how/where to run the vent leaving the dryer in its current spot. I've read that dryer vents can't be longer than 25'. Venting to the roof is possible, it's just a one-story house, but doesn't seem logical.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

I don't like/think roof venting is great either.... but it is done plenty of the time.


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## BayouRunner (Feb 5, 2016)

Running your vent through the roof will add about 30 percent more drying time for each load. Just wanted to give you the heads up. If you need to make a longer run they do have inline boosters but it’s an added cost


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## u3b3rg33k (Jul 17, 2018)

Another option you may not be aware of: replace the dryer with a non-vented, dehumidifier dryer, and ditch the vent entirely.


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

I may be mis- understanding here, but not sure why the dryer could not be vented to the right towards the breaker box ?. 

Which I assume the BB is on a exterior wall ? In the pic below, I vented out our stack top loader dryer through the garage. The 4 in. metal round duct pipe is 8 ft. long and exits to a wall damper vent I installed on the exterior brick wall. 

It vents and works great. I insulated it with Lowes Reflectix duct insulating and it only has the one 90 degree ell on the line, where it comes in to the garage. It fit right in under the shelves/cabinet/work top that I built. 

Our TL dryer is sitting on the other side of the wall where the ell is turning through the wall. Your dryer if I have my sketch correct, would only have the one ell on the back of the dryer. JMO


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

I believe the efficiency lost due to roof termination is mostly caused by poor designed roof hoods. If you shop around and know what you are looking for you can find better designed hoods.


For example: https://dryerjack.com/roof-vent.html


But you still have the issue of cleaning it regularly, which may not be easy from the roof.
https://structuretech1.com/dont-vent-your-clothes-dryer-through-the-roof/


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

I saw a dryer with a box next to it on the floor. I had never seen anything like that before but some how it replaces an outside vent.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Guap0_ said:


> I saw a dryer with a box next to it on the floor. I had never seen anything like that before but some how it replaces an outside vent.


 Some of those claim that they make your house healthy, I think that means the moisture is in the house.


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

I have no idea how they work or if they are good or bad.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

LarryJ-nova said:


> I've read that dryer vents can't be longer than 25'.



Best to do a Google search for the installation manual for your particular dryer, but that number does not seem too out of line. Obviously, shorter is better.


You can go straight back with about a foot of duct, then turn right, and exit through the side wall. The elbow adds some restriction, but its still not a significant length. You can box the duct if you don't want to look at it. Just make sure you use rigid metal ducting.


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## LarryJ-nova (Jul 9, 2013)

Gregsoldtruck79 said:


> I may be mis- understanding here, but not sure why the dryer could not be vented to the right towards the breaker box ?.
> 
> ....





SPS-1 said:


> ....You can go straight back with about a foot of duct, then turn right, and exit through the side wall....


My dining room is on the other side of the right side wall.


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

It is hard for us to help while not seeing a sketch or pics of the floor plan around the dryer area. I would not recommend a through the roof dryer vent. No way. Show us some walls, measurements, maybe we can then see, a way to work out a dryer vent through a wall.


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## LarryJ-nova (Jul 9, 2013)

u3b3rg33k said:


> Another option you may not be aware of: replace the dryer with a non-vented, dehumidifier dryer, and ditch the vent entirely.


Interesting. Didn't know of such an animal. Will give it some consideration.


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## LarryJ-nova (Jul 9, 2013)

Guap0_ said:


> I saw a dryer with a box next to it on the floor. I had never seen anything like that before but some how it replaces an outside vent.


I'm guessing it was just a lint trap and the dryer vented to the room. Don't want anything like that.


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

LarryJ-nova said:


> Interesting. Didn't know of such an animal. Will give it some consideration.



DH drying you will probably find more popular across the big pond where they have a high density of compact apartments and smaller living quarters. Not really designed for any large quantity of clothes like a 3 or more member family, that has a high demand of laundry needing done.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Go out high into the screened porch and go around next to ceiling and box it in with insulation. No need for a new wheel to be invented here, If it is to far and inline fan can be installed and wired to run at the same time as the dryer.


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

Inline boosters work well, but if the owner does not pull them down to -de-lint them randomly, they themselves can become fire hazards from overheating motors driving lint bound impellers. And how many homeowners will remember to maintain them ? The OP needs to try the hardest, to do metal round ducting first IMO..


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## LarryJ-nova (Jul 9, 2013)

Nealtw said:


> Go out high into the screened porch and go around next to ceiling and box it in with insulation. No need for a new wheel to be invented here, If it is to far and inline fan can be installed and wired to run at the same time as the dryer.


Not quite understanding where you're suggesting it terminate, but I like your thinking. Along those same lines, how about stay inside the garage, go over the door, turn the corner and exit out high on the left wall. Box it in. Too many turns?


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

LarryJ-nova said:


> Not quite understanding where you're suggesting it terminate, but I like your thinking. Along those same lines, how about stay inside the garage, go over the door, turn the corner and exit out high on the left wall. Box it in. Too many turns?


 That is a load bearing wall so somewhere above the door is a header which will dictate the height you can go out. On the garage side it will have to be sealed behind drywall. If you have to many elbows you give your self access panels where you can put holes in the duct and feed an air hose in to blow it out while you vacuum from the outside.


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## LarryJ-nova (Jul 9, 2013)

Nealtw said:


> That is a load bearing wall so somewhere above the door is a header which will dictate the height you can go out. On the garage side it will have to be sealed behind drywall. If you have to many elbows you give your self access panels where you can put holes in the duct and feed an air hose in to blow it out while you vacuum from the outside.


The door exits onto the porch. The wall with the table saw stand hanging on it is where i want to exit. Here's my latest idea, move the new stackable dryer to the "table saw stand" wall and put it up on a platform (possibly hanging platform). Just a simple straight exit out the side wall. It will give me some storage space underneath. The washer stays put. Not perfect, but pretty good.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

LarryJ-nova said:


> The door exits onto the porch. The wall with the table saw stand hanging on it is where i want to exit. Here's my latest idea, move the new stackable dryer to the "table saw stand" wall and put it up on a platform (possibly hanging platform). Just a simple straight exit out the side wall. It will give me some storage space underneath. The washer stays put. Not perfect, but pretty good.


 If that works for you, that makes it simple.
Put the table saw to work and build a healthy cupboard to set it on.:biggrin2:


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## LarryJ-nova (Jul 9, 2013)

Nealtw said:


> Go out high into the screened porch and go around next to ceiling and box it in with insulation. No need for a new wheel to be invented here, If it is to far and inline fan can be installed and wired to run at the same time as the dryer.


I'm still trying to understand your suggestion here. Leaving the dryer in its current location, are you suggesting that the vent exit the garage high up on the wall and enter the porch, then along the outside wall of the garage (in a pipe chase near the ceiling), then exit the porch?


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

LarryJ-nova said:


> I'm still trying to understand your suggestion here. Leaving the dryer in its current location, are you suggesting that the vent exit the garage high up on the wall and enter the porch, then along the outside wall of the garage (in a pipe chase near the ceiling), then exit the porch?


 Well a duct run next to the ceiling to the closest exit and if that is in the garage it has to be boxed and sealed. You could also go between joists or rafters above a ceiling


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

Some dryer ducting info FWIW...…. it reads well to me. 

http://www.appliance411.com/faq/dryer-vent-length.shtml


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Gregsoldtruck79 said:


> Some dryer ducting info FWIW...…. it reads well to me.
> 
> http://www.appliance411.com/faq/dryer-vent-length.shtml




Good info.:biggrin2:


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## u3b3rg33k (Jul 17, 2018)

LarryJ-nova said:


> Interesting. Didn't know of such an animal. Will give it some consideration.


note that there are "condensing" dryers and "heat pump" dryers. the former is not what you're looking for.


Gregsoldtruck79 said:


> DH drying you will probably find more popular across the big pond where they have a high density of compact apartments and smaller living quarters. Not really designed for any large quantity of clothes like a 3 or more member family, that has a high demand of laundry needing done.


Whirlpool, and LG have 7+ cu/ft dryer, Miele has a 4+ cu/ft dryer. drying times are a little longer - i think my regular dryer takes about 45 minutes for a full load on gentle, HP dryer should take about twice that. still seems manageable for the average family.


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

u3b3rg33k said:


> Another option you may not be aware of: replace the dryer with a non-vented, dehumidifier dryer, and ditch the vent entirely.





u3b3rg33k said:


> note that there are "condensing" dryers and "heat pump" dryers. the former is not what you're looking for.
> 
> 
> Whirlpool, and LG have 7+ cu/ft dryer, Miele has a 4+ cu/ft dryer. drying times are a little longer - i think my regular dryer takes about 45 minutes for a full load on gentle, HP dryer should take about twice that. still seems manageable for the average family.




Whenever recommending parts, materials, objects, etc, a link to the item being recommended goes a long way in helping people. 

Do you have a link to the dryer you recommended in the red text for the OP ?


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## u3b3rg33k (Jul 17, 2018)

Gregsoldtruck79 said:


> Whenever recommending parts, materials, objects, etc, a link to the item being recommended goes a long way in helping people.
> 
> Do you have a link to the dryer you recommended in the red text for the OP ?


https://www.energystar.gov/productf...d_characteristics_filter=Heat+Pump+Technology

you could click the ventless box for the traditional style condensing dryers. they're not as efficient and will heat the room up more.


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## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

LarryJ-nova said:


> The door exits onto the porch. The wall with the table saw stand hanging on it is where i want to exit. Here's my latest idea, move the new stackable dryer to the "table saw stand" wall and put it up on a platform (possibly hanging platform). Just a simple straight exit out the side wall. It will give me some storage space underneath. The washer stays put. Not perfect, but pretty good.



No need for a new dryer if you move the existing one to that side wall, and if you do a direct vent, that dryer will work really well. A short vent really helps. 



Cabinets to the side of both machines for folding and what not would be nice as well.


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

Jmo...……use the stack washer and dryer. Put dryer on top. Use 4 in. metal rigid round duct, taped joints. Insulate with Reflectix foil insulation from Lowes. One ell out of the back of it, go up enough to clear the door trim then, use another ell and run the duct to the exterior wall to the left of the door. Use 2" x 4" blocks on the wall to stand the duct off of the wall for cooling purposes and to strap to. 

Pros : Don't have to move the dryer 240 v. / 30 amp electric service. Won't drop clean washed clothes on floor while carrying them across the garage to the other side of the room to the dryer. JMO though


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

This has become way to complicated. You had the answer yourself. Remove the pipe and run a 90 deg ell straight up the garage wall make a left turn straight out the wall where the stand is. just make sure you don't use screws use metal tape and pipe hangers. So all you need is two 90 deg ells and a couple lengths of pipe. When you install the pipe make sure you follow the direction of flow with the joints so lint don't catch. It's a very simple job. you don't need stacked units. KISS principal. You should never have a problem. Maybe once every year or two open the ell at the bottom of the dryer and vacuum out. Good luck.


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

LarryJ-nova said:


> Not quite understanding where you're suggesting it terminate, but I like your thinking. Along those same lines, how about stay inside the garage, go over the door, turn the corner and exit out high on the left wall. Box it in. Too many turns?


" that's it you only have two turns. One up the wall and one over and out."


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

Got to get rid of them shelves and other stuff so you have a straight line up the wall over and out.


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