Dryer vent question

12 years ago

We have a gas dryer stacked on washer in garage. The vent goes right behind dryer to the side of garage, a little away from a small front porch. And it was behind bushes.

We are adding a new room in front of the house. Between the garage and new room will be a 7' wide 15' long covered 'porch'. The existing vent will be located right next to the main entry door in this 'porch'. I am thinking about moving the vent to another location. And here are my options:

1. put the vent through the roof of garage. But I was told by my contractor, that the lint will be all over the roof.

2. run the pipe up to garage ceiling, then run 20+ feet across to the other wall. The total length could be 25-30 feet. If I go this option, do I need to have a inline booster fan installed in the middle of the pipe? Does the boost fan need to clean once a while?

Which one will be better? Or, will there be better option for me?

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Comments (6)

fahrenheit_451
12 years ago
Your shortest run is your best bet. Through the roof is likely a building code violation; long runs necessitate a fan assist. Is this porch to be enclosed? Will there be any HVAC equipment (condensers next to a dryer vent is no-no as the lint clogs the condenser coils) on this porch? Given the existing location, and where it will be on the new porch which direction are the prevailing winds hitting the porch and which direction would the wind carry the exhaust?
jason_555
Original Author
12 years ago

Here is a drawing of the 'porch' that will be. The base will just be covered with concrete, or slate. There are also roof covering this area. So you can see, that no wind can pass through this area. I was afraid dryer vent will just make the front door to be hot&humid when dryer is working.
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fahrenheit_451
12 years ago
Thanks for the drawing as it makes all the difference the world when discussing matters. Moving the vent in your situation is the best course of action.There are good fan assist models available. Is your garage ceiling hard-capped (finished in drywall)? I ask because it's a good idea to have this ductwork accessible to clean as no matter how good your dryer's filter, lint will inevitably get past it into the ductwork.
jason_555
Original Author
12 years ago
fahrenheit_451, thank for confirm my idea of moving the vent. The ceiling is not finished with drywall and can see all the wood framings.

My contractor also suggested that I install a lint trap to reduce the chance to clog the boost fan. But I see contradictionary saying about putting them together. Someone says gas dryer should not 'even thinking about it". But I do see fantech make a lint trap, and says "Use when duct length between dryer and booster fan is less than 15 feet." Who should I listen to?
http://residential.fantech.net/residential-products/laundry/

If I run the duct through garage ceiling to the other wall, what is the best location for the booster fan (and the lint trap if it is ok to install it)?
fahrenheit_451
12 years ago
Jason,

Follow manufacturer's specs AND building codes for your area. Also, get a second opinion on matters by posting on the GardenWeb Heating & Air Conditioning forum.
newtoremodel
12 years ago
We're in a similar situation. We're using 5" ducts instead of the standard 4" so a 30 foot run is acceptable to the city. They required a calculation by a mechanical engineer which cost us about $80. We don't plan on using a booster fan.