All manufacturers
state not to use plastic flexible hose to vent your dryer. In fact, the
largest manufacturer of clothes dryers in the world, GE, voids their warranty
if their dryer is vented with plastic flexible hose, and yet plastic flexible
hose is still in use in the majority of homes today and continues to be
used in much new construction.
Clothes Dryers are
one of the most expensive appliances in your home to operate. The longer
it runs, the more money it costs you.
The way a dryer works is really quite
simple. Hot air is forced through a turning drum. Wet clothes are placed
in the drum and are dried by the hot air. A full load of wet clothes may
contain one to one and a half gallons of water. As that water is removed,
lint is created from the clothes. Much of this lint is trapped in the dryer’s
lint filter, which should be cleaned after every use as stated in your
dryer’s care and use guide. However, lint filters do not trap or catch
all lint. The lint that remains is carried through your vent system along
with moist air.
Flexible hoses create
air turbulence, which is resistance to efficient air flow. In some
cases, the dryer may be installed in a way that pinches the hose and restricts
airflow dramatically. Moisture collects on the pleats of all flexible hoses
and lint can easily stick to these surfaces and cause lint to build up
and create a fire hazard.
Note: Every year in the United States, 13,000 fires are reported that start at or in the dryer (both gas and electric), and lint buildup is one culprit.
This also causes your dryer to work harder,
costing you in service calls and cutting short the life of your dryer.
The key to efficient
and safe clothes drying is to create an efficient vent system to move lint
and moist air together with as little resistance as possible. Rigid aluminum
pipe vents are highly recommended.
Installation tips:
Play it Safe and unplug the dryer before performing any maintainance.
Use metal foil tape on joints and to seal any cracks
Air leakage disrupts the efficient
flow of air and can allow lint buildup.
Never use screws to fasten pieces together. Screws or rivets project into the airway and
will catch lint.
We recommend two
layers of metal tape on all joints. Always use metal foil tape. Duct tape
will deteriorate with time.
Minimize 90-degree
turns. Sharp turns cause more back pressure and create resistance to air
flow. Two 45-degree bends are more efficient than one 90-degree.
Always support hanging ducts at each joint with strapping. Secure duct work.
Insulate any part of the dryer duct that passes through an unheated area. Otherwise, condensation will form inside the duct, snare the lint and greatly increase lint buildup.
Choose the most efficient
route from your dryer to the outside. Be sure the placement of this vent
will not exhaust dryer air to a window well, gas vent, chimney or any other
unventilated area (such as attic or crawl space). The accumulation of lint
can be a fire hazard so check your local safety code* on this issue.
Exterior wall dampers
should have a hood or flaps that keep out the weather. No hardware cloth
or screen wire of any type should be in the exit air port. It will collect
lint and block the air flow.
Birds and critters will not inhabit your vent
pipe if your vent system and damper are functioning properly.
Install a 4 x 4-in. vent hood, instead of one with the standard 2-1/2 in. opening. Installing this larger vent hood is the equivalent of shortening the total duct run by 6 ft.
