Dryer Vent Installation Advice

 

Dryer vent installation requires understanding the purpose and function of your dryer vent system.  Forced heat produced by natural gas or electricity is blown on your laundry as it tumbles in your dryer.  This moist heat must escape through the dryer exhaust ducts to the dryer vent outdoors. 

 

An improperly installed dryer vent system can restrict airflow and cause your dryer to labor excessively as it does its job.  Here are some tips from a dryer vent installation specialist.

 

Dryer Vent Installation Tips from the Wizard

 

The dryer vent pipe should be made of rigid material about 4 inches in diameter.  The old flexible foil or vinyl tubing do not meet current dryer vent installation safety codes.

 

Dryer lint will build up in the dryer exhaust duct over time.  To reduce lint build-up, the dryer duct should be very smooth inside.  Pieces of ductwork should be connected with foil tape, not screws that protrude to the inside which can catch and trap lint.

 

By law, all clothes dryers must be vented to the outdoors.  If you have a gas dryer, the dryer vent system is responsible for removing gas by-products, like carbon monoxide, from your home.

 

The dryer vent tube should be installed with as few turns as possible and the shorter the run, the better.  The longer the dryer duct, the harder the dryer works to force the hot air to the vent outside.

 

Use straps to support the duct so that there are no low points for lint to collect and build up.  Use a level to set horizontal sections with a slight fall to prevent moisture from collecting.

 

Dryer Vent Installation in New Homes

 

Newer homes are built with convenience for the homeowner in mind; unfortunately, not enough consideration was given to dryer vent safety and efficiency.  The laundry area is now located near the center of the home, upstairs between bedrooms where most dirty laundry originates.  Now the distance from the dryer to the vent outside is considerably longer.  Proper dryer vent installation is most critical for this type of system.

 

It is more difficult to push air through a longer dryer vent system because the air inside has weight and volume.  The average clothes dryer can handle venting through about 20 feet of venting pipe before having any difficulty.  The motor lacks the strength needed to push the air much further as the weight increases and the flow slows down.

 

When the air flow is too slow moisture is allowed to accumulate in the venting.  When the dryer ducts are moist, lint will stick and accumulate, building up and restricting air flow.

 

When lint is allowed too build up and block the air duct the system overheats.  The normal drum temperature of 175 degrees can quickly increase to 300 degrees or higher, eventually becoming hot enough to ignite. 

 

Dryer Vent Installation Done Right Prevents Problems

 

Proper dryer vent installation and following up with annual dryer vent cleaning will save you from many costly problems down the road, including:

 

• Up to $300 per year in additional utility expenses due to reduced air-flow and longer drying time
• Expensive dryer repair services due to overworked dryer
• Mold and mildew damage to your home; contaminating the air you breathe
• Carbon monoxide poisoning due to improper venting of a gas appliance
• Dryer fire, causing extensive home damage, loss of home, loss of lives

 

Are you sure your dryer vent system is properly installed?  If you have any doubts, you need to call a dryer vent installation specialist for a complete inspection.  The fee for this type of service quickly pays for itself as it eliminates all the problems listed above.

 

“Don’t Let your dryer start a fire; keep your home safe and sound,” is Dryer Vent Wizard’s marketing campaign.  Over 15,000 house fires resulting in deaths, injuries and millions of dollars in damages occur each year as a result of clogged dryer vent systems.  Dryer Vent Wizard provides dryer vent cleaning, repair, installation and inspections for homes and business in over 50 franchised markets in the US.

 

Dryer Vent Wizard is a nationwide company providing dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent repair, and dryer vent installation in many market areas including Boise, ID;

 

 

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