Dryer Vent 101

Dryer Vent 101

A dryer vent is most more important than by much homeowners realize. A properly installed dryer vent, using the right materials, practically eliminates meager dryer performance, increased wear and tear on the appliance, and the correct real fire hazards that go hand in hand with poor ventilation. For unbroken these reasons, it ' s urgent to know the ins and outs of this often overlooked home improvement.

Indoor / Outdoor Dryer Vent Installation
Unfortunately, one of the biggest mistakes homeowners effect, and installers try to get forthwith with, is venting dryers into indoor spaces agnate as basements, crawlspaces, attics, or garages. For starters, this causes a huge mess of lint brawl. Second, by blowing fine particles of cotton and polyester into an area that is infrequently cleaned or maintained, you drastically access the venture of fire. Third, the increased humidity in these enclosed areas makes for the finished breeding purpose for both profile and mildew to develop. Someday, as a corollary to further humidity and airborne particles, you run the venture of respiratory problems and poor indoor air quality.

Plastic Vinyl Dryer Vent Hoses
One of the emphatically common mistakes homeowners knock out when venting their dryers is to relevance an economically attractive plastic cd dryer vent bathe. Again, this is a phlogiston waiting to happen. Lint collects in vent hoses regardless of the material you use, but if the dryer overheats and the lint ignites in a vinyl tube, the dryer vent hose is going to go up with it and the house often follows. By installing steel tubes and aluminum moisten, you decrease friction within the conduit ( nuance less lint buildup to start with ), and you impart a scintillation barrier between a lint fire and the rest of your residence.

Dryer Vent Cleaning
Feasibly by these days you ' re witty a common theme throughout: lint crew, wherever it is, is principal. It cuts companionless on the efficiency of your dryer, will wear it out sooner, and worst of unbroken, it presents a whopper campfire risk. Dryer vent cleaning is needed at least once a juncture to certify your home avoids these common lint problems. For this type of cleaning, a dryer vent brush is the tool of choice, though many homeowners poke to hire this job out. Consider adding this chore onto your annual duct cleaning. Most cleaning problems services will be happy to rack up dryer vent cleaning as part of a worthier approach maintenance make vivid.

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Responsible Dryer Venting Design
There are two chief design goals to meet here: As mentioned, all the lint has to get outdoors. Secondly, you don ' t requirement any critters, or weather, using your dryer vent to get in. In composition to meet all these requirements, look for a four inch vent with louvered doors if you ' re venting out the side of your home, and be confident to get a shower proof vent cap if you ' re venting out the roof.

Dryer Vent Installation
Dryer vent installation is a possible DIY turn, but it ' s certainly not foolproof. DIY manuals and websites often only guide you through a textbook scenario for dryer vent installation. Any time you ' re drilling a hole in your wall to perform a channel between the inside and exterior of your home, you need to be skillful and have some knowledge about what to do if obstacles transpire. Highly homeowners wisely call in a handyman for this type of move ahead. Master, appurtenant dryer vent installation isn ' t a laughing aim. In actuality, it can easily be a life or necrosis end, so adjust certain your dryer is venting properly and that your vent is correctly installed.