Dryer Vent Hose In Attic
Metal duct going vertically from the dryer through the second floor ceiling.
Dryer vent hose in attic. After locating the shortest route for the ductwork determine the location of the dryer vent exit. Missouri wind and solar 3 685 911 views 11 28. You may have a bad boot around the roof vent that is leaking into the attic. In these cases it may be necessary to vent your dryer through the attic.
Insulating the duct may also help. This code requirement is usually referred to when a homeowner wants to install air conditioning ducts from the house hvac system to the garage but also applies for dryer ducts. Use a section of vent pipe to mark a circle where the opening will be from inside of your home. The high humid air doesn t vent out of the house before it condensates in the duct and then runs back into the house causing damage.
Or you may have a distance issue. Sometimes such as in town homes or condos it s not possible to vent a dryer through a wall outside. Seal the ceiling penetration so that the duct can expand in length as it heats up during use a standard roof boot such as you d use to flash a vent pipe would work. Not all dryers will allow for this so be sure to check the owners manual to ensure it can be vented in this manner.
Most dryer ducts are round and 4 inches in diameter. No you shouldn t use a towel or other absorbing material. The photo below shows an accumulation of dryer lint in an attic after years of the vent terminating in it. The international residential code allows you to run a dryer vent through the attic but you can t terminate it there.
Dryer vent pipes properly called vent ducts come in a variety of materials. Venting a dryer into an enclosed space is never a good idea. Because all types are sold for use with dryers you would naturally assume that all are suitable for this application. Some are flexible and others are rigid.
A dryer vent should be vented outside. Be careful you don t cut through any studs electrical wires or pipes in the process. If venting outside isn t an option you can vent the dryer out of the attic through the roof using a special roof vent to keep rain out. Doing so would fill your attic with warm moist air that could rot the framing.
When venting dryers for long distances use rigid metal pipe with as few elbows as possible.