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prisha1_gw

Dryer pipe concern....Need suggestion....

Prisha1
9 years ago

Hi,

I recently choose an apartment which has a stack able washer dryer beside the kitchen which i am quite used to.

But Recently i have noticed that the dryer pipe is passing below the kitchen pantry closet above which i am supposed to keep my food items.
I was not concerned before but lately i am thinking that dryer pipe can get hot when the dryer is on...it could leak some fumes,gas etc

But on the other hand i was thinking that it is an apartment home so it must be designed the way that it shouldn't effect the kitchen items.

I am scheduled to move next week.

Is that anyway risky or unhealthy option to store pantry items above it.

Please suggest me what to check there and what i can ask maintenance about so that there is no risk of keeping food items above it.

All suggestions would be valuable.

Comments (23)

  • suburbanmd
    9 years ago

    If the dryer duct is underneath the floor of the pantry, not running through it, I don't think you need to worry about heat. You could be extra-careful and store particularly heat-sensitive items on higher shelves, if the floor feels a little warm when the dryer is on. But dryer ducts don't get hot like a radiator.

    Leakage, especially with a gas dryer, would be a concern no matter how the duct is routed.

  • Prisha1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you for your prompt reply.
    It is not underneath...it is running through the floor from one wall to another..I could see a big pipe going below my pantry shelves.
    I spoke to maintenance they say it doesnt put off heat and they are double checking that its is properly sealed and insulated.

    But I am not aware of the technicalities of it so i would like to know does those insulated pipes can cause heat outside.Or can it also cause some carbon monoxide in the kitchen.
    And the pantry is quite big it is not a good idea to keep it of no use.
    But if it can cause health issues then i will keep it empty.

    Please give some suggestion.

    Thanks Again

  • suburbanmd
    9 years ago

    A carbon monoxide detector would give you peace of mind about CO leaks. As for heat, run a timed-dry cycle at high temperature, and see how hot the duct gets. If it's too warm, maybe you could add your own insulation (e.g. lay down a piece of fiberglass batt with vapor barrier facing up, so the fibers aren't exposed).

  • GaryFx
    9 years ago

    At first, I just assumed that you were using the word pipe for what's more commonly called the dryer exhaust vent or exhaust duct. But then you said insulated, which would be uncommon for a dryer exhaust, at least in the northern climates I'm used to.

    Dryer exhausts are typically 4 inch aluminum ducts. Rigid ducts are best, but flexible aluminum are common. Plastic, flexible ducts are also common but aren't recommended and may be against code. Are you seeing something like one of these? If not, posting a picture would help.

    In any event, I happened to be running a sanitize cycle earlier today. The exhaust duct on my dryer wasn't hot enough to accidentally burn, though it was hot enough that I wouldn't want to hold my hand on it for more than twenty seconds or so.

  • dadoes
    9 years ago

    Dryer exhaust air doesn't get higher than 155ðF to 165ðF, unless the machine is malfunctioning.

  • Prisha1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks to all of you...will post a picture soon....

  • Prisha1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi All,

    I am attaching pictures of the dryer duct running below my kitchen pantry.

    Kindly suggest me if it is safe to store food items above it.incase yes what safety measures i should follow.

    Suggestions would be really helpful.

  • suburbanmd
    9 years ago

    It isn't pretty, but I don't see any safety issue. I guess it's a continuous length of duct running through the closet, and the sloppy taping is there to seal the wall openings, not to seal the duct against leakage. You might keep an eye out for lint, a sign of dryer vent leakage, anyway. Such a short length of duct isn't likely to heat up the pantry much, since the dryer isn't running most of the time. I would keep especially heat-sensitive items like spices away from the immediate vicinity of the duct. But overall I don't see anything to worry about.

  • Prisha1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    thanks so much for your suggestion i was quite concerned with the fact that it would cause heat and damage the food items.
    Even the kitchen is very small and sleek so i cant leave the whole closet empty because of the dryer duct orelse i will fall short of space.
    Also want to mention this closet has a door.Do i need to open the door when the dryer is running to make the heat out incase any???

    Thanks again.

  • emma
    9 years ago

    I would ask a city inspector to come out. When we sold our first home the inspector came out and red tagged our hot water heater. The vent pipe above did not comply with city restrictions, but it did when the home was built. We lived with those fumes for 15 years not know where it was coming from. I guess we are lucky it did not kill us.

  • suburbanmd
    9 years ago

    A call to the city inspector will cost goodwill with the landlord, and might even get you on some database of problem tenants. IMO it's unjustified on the basis of what you've shown here. You could put a CO detector in the pantry, but homesafe.com says "A detector should not be placed within fifteen feet of heating or cooking appliances". How about this: Put in a CO detector. If it goes off only when you're cooking, then the dryer venting is ok and you can remove the detector, or install it elsewhere in the apartment where it's needed.

    By the way, it is a gas dryer, right? If it's electric then CO isn't an issue, and a small leak presents no danger. Even a large leak isn't dangerous to life, just to the structure because of moisture.

  • Prisha1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    suburbanmd Thanks for your suggestion.

    Its mostly an electric dryer.we haven't moved to the apartment yet but the leasing associate informed us its just electricity we have to pay apart from the rent so there is nothing of gas.Felt good to know then there is no risk of CO leakage.

    My main concern is that if the duct gets hot during drying cycle is that safe to store pantry items on shelves above the duct.could that be harmful for food items to get heat almost once in a day.
    N will that be an unhealthy option.

    All suggestions would be valuable.

  • GaryFx
    9 years ago

    You could always put a thermometer on the lowest shelf of the closet, and check what it reads while running the dryer.

    But I agree with the previous post, that anything other than spices should be ok. Even spices won't be ruined, they'll just lose power.

    Do keep the duct clean. You don't want dust, flour, cornstarch, or other fine materials collecting on it.

  • Prisha1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks GaryFx.
    I will make sure there is no deposit of food or spice stuff there near the duct.
    Will not to keep any spice stuff to the immediate shelf above the duct.I believe i can use the top shelves without any risk for storing pantry items like spice and sauces.

  • Prisha1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi All,

    My apartment maintenance people wrapped the duct with some insulated cover...i am technically not aware about it but from their conversation i got to know its some insulated sheet which they normally use to wrap water heater.(Pic attached)

    I want to know ur opinion about the same would that help resisting the heat so that the pantry wouldnt be hot.

    Thanks

  • Prisha1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    another pic

  • suburbanmd
    9 years ago

    Yes, that would help. Is the pantry getting noticeably hot when the dryer is running?

  • Prisha1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi suburbanmd

    not hot i would say warm.

  • Prisha1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi suburbanmd

    not hot i would say warm.

  • enduring
    9 years ago

    Did the wrap help? I think it is a good solution.

  • ci_lantro
    9 years ago

    You could friction fits some styrofoam type insulation board to 'box in' the duct to further reduce any heat gain...or just keep the pantry door open when you run the dryer.

  • ci_lantro
    9 years ago

    You could friction fits some styrofoam type insulation board to 'box in' the duct to further reduce any heat gain...or just keep the pantry door open when you run the dryer.

  • Prisha1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I am not very much sure did it really worked or not...as when the dryer is on on high heat cycle the dryer cubicle and the pantry is pretty warm which i have seen with every laundry room to be bit warm always.

    But here i was only concerned bcz of food items now i try to open the pantry door while the dryer is on.

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