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Dryer Venting Code

NickD on Sun March 28, 2010 5:15 PM User is offline

Specifies a minimum diameter of 4", actually the idiots should specify the cross sectional area of 12.5 sq in, as code acceptable rectangular vents are available. Same area as a 4" diameter vent. Did get a new washer and dryer, front loading with pedestals, mounting a wall cabinet 3" about the top of these machines. Would be nice for storing soap and bleach. Problem is with the dryer vent, machines are 5" away from the wall. Okay for me, but wife is a tad short, if I could move the washer and dryer 3" closer to the wall, she would not have a problem outside of getting a ladder.

Rectangular duct would not solve my problem as they still have a 4" diameter outlet plus it's offset putting me back at five inches clearance, then trying to find a rectangular exterior vent. Saw over a dozen, all are round with the flapper. I played with my flapper with the dryer running, it's also 12.5 sq in, 2.5 by 5". By manually closing it, really no strain on the dryer drive motor that also powers the fan, but could definitely feel an increase in air velocity as I closed it.

My thought is to simply step on my existing 4" diameter vent to decrease the width to 2" so I can shove both machines back. While the circumference remains the same, forming an ellipse, the area will decrease to 9.5 sq in or a 25% decrease. Closing the flapper by 25% does have a minor increase in air velocity. Ha, regarding code, it's still 4" pipe. Since the vent is made of soft aluminum, a tad thicker than tin foil, really don't have to shape it, just shove the machines back another 3", problem solved. Was more interested in performance or lack of it.

We had a top loaded washer and a front loading dryer, never convenient for switching from one to the other. Two front loading machines didn't solve this either, washer door is non reversible, dryer is. Our laundry room is 5 1/2 by 9 1/2 feet so I have the washer in the corner against the 9 1/2 foot wall. If I reverse the dryer door to open to the right, then would be trapped when trying to squeeze by that opened door to get out. So actually need a door that can open either way at will. Pedestals did help, really don't have to bend over to switch loads, and you really don't want to bend over if you have an IRS agent in your home, he will really stick it to you if you do. But that caused a height problem. Could put this pair in the basement, all kinds of room down there, but then an extra flight of stairs to go up and down. Or get a taller wife, but really like the size she is.

Problems, always problems.

NickD on Mon March 29, 2010 3:38 AM User is offline

This is an electric dryer by the way, code doesn't specify if the dryer is gas nor electric, I can see concerns about gas fumes, chief concern about electric is loading up your home with lint. Both my old and new machines share a common width and depth dimension, 27 by 30 inches, except the old was 27" deep, the new are 30" deep, taking away 3" from the hallway. In a tight space to start with, 3" can make a big difference.

MikeH on Mon March 29, 2010 9:12 AM User is offline

Hey, Nick, to take it a step further - have you ever noticed that in most new homes built today the space allowed for a washer/dryer is around 30"-31"? This depth does not allow for a round dryer hose without it being squished which cuts down on it's efficiency. Yes, you get the same square inches but the actual air flow is interrupted and caused me to have to clean out the dryer hose every few months.

bohica2xo on Wed March 31, 2010 10:08 PM User is offline

Not as bad as my brother's house...

His wife was complaining about the dryer - taking way too long to dry a load of clothes. I was visiting (he is in southern CA) and told him we should check the vent.

Dryer is located near the front of the house in a laundry room that shares three interior walls with other rooms. Ground floor, in a two story home.

Vent stub hanging out of the wall, with about 10% of the area free of lint. Ok, fine. Shop vac the nipple & hose clean. I ask my brother where the vent comes out. I get the blank look. Uh oh. If it goes outside, it must go straight up to the roof - the common walls are all interior walls, and this is a slab house - no crawl space or basement.

Grab a flashlight, and look in the nipple. Impossible. It turns 90 - straight DOWN. A standard 90 degree pvc sch 40, 4" elbow from the look of it. He has lived in this house for 5 years, and this is news to him.

Oh well, we will find the other end with the leaf blower. Turns out the other end of the vent pipe is in the back yard. 35+ feet from the dryer, cleverly disguised in a planter with an oleander that was planted about 20 years before he got there. A rain cap on the end of it, stubbed out a good 2 feet above the soil. Painted the same color as the block wall behind it.

The oleander looked like a flocked christmas tree after we got the pipe cleared. It "snowed" in the back yard for several minutes. Dryer lost 30db of noise, and actually dried clothes.

I told him we had to go look at his neighbor's house. I just could not believe they did this on all of the houses... I was wrong. Every house in the development has the same firetrap. I wonder who approved that system?

B.

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"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
~ Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi, An Autobiography, M. K. Gandhi, page 446.

NickD on Thu April 01, 2010 7:05 AM User is offline

Was nice the builder installed the vent in my house, but wish he didn't, could have mounted it 2" closer to the corner of the wall, no studs or anything in the way. Then the interior vent pipe was sticking out 4" so I cut that flush with the wall and jammed in an elbow rotating it for an offset flush with the corner. The Maytag dryer had a steel pipe sticking out 2" from the rear, removed the back and that tube and replaced it with aluminum cutting that flush with the back cover and jammed an elbow so the side was flush with the rear. Purchased some of that aluminum flex pipe and duct taped it securely to the two elbows. Then flattened the pipe to 3" so the dryer is 3" from the back wall. It was 8" before, a lot more space now. Total vent pipe is about two feet long.

My old dryer did have a lint filter, but apparently not very good, enough lint would bypass it and keep that flapper door from closing, but was easy enough to go outside and hand clean it. And I always had problems in training my girls to clean it first. This new Maytag has a large flashing red light to clean the filter, seems to fit much tighter so see what happens. With that flapper open, can really get a cold draft, looked for a new better made vent, all crap.

Only problem I had with the washer, used a plug that was about 3" long, thought I had a right angle plug on a cord around here someplace, but couldn't find it, nor in the stores, but did find a multiple outlet adapter and inch thick so I could plug the washer in the side of it. Would think the guys that make these things would think about simple stuff like this.

k5guy on Tue April 13, 2010 1:56 AM User is offline

Quote
Originally posted by: NickD
Specifies a minimum diameter of 4", actually the idiots should specify the cross sectional area of 12.5 sq in, as code acceptable rectangular vents are available. Same area as a 4" diameter vent. .

Rectangular vents do not have the same airflow patterns as a circular one. You'll get eddies or turbulence in the corners. So not quite the same.

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NickD on Fri April 16, 2010 6:42 AM User is offline

Box that these rectangular vents came in, didn't say anything about eddy currents or turbulence, just said it was more compact. But my ruler told me different, besides that, it cost over ten times as much.

Son and I are also going nuts with his shallow well pump, we used all galvanized pipe and fittings that are now made in China and loaded with pin hole leaks. We darn sure aren't saving any money, and sure wouldn't be saving money if we were paying a plumber 75 bucks an hour to deal with this crap. But they say they all do dat.

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