Clothes Dryer Vents: The Proper and the Improper

In my career as a home inspector, I’ve found that one of the most critical yet frequently overlooked areas of the home is the clothes dryer vent. Did you know that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports over 24,000 house fires each year, causing nearly $100 million in damage, all because of dryer vents not being installed correctly? It's more common than you'd think, but the good news is, most of these can be prevented.

I'm here to shed light on the topic of dryer vent safety, aiming to equip you with practical and easy-to-follow advice to ensure the safety and wellbeing of your home.

In a standard drying cycle, your dryer can pull out up to a gallon of water from your clothes in vapor form. The goal of a dryer vent system is to safely channel this vapor and the accompanying lint outside your home. This seemingly straightforward process is where many homes fall short, often using inappropriate materials for venting.

Common Missteps with Venting Materials

Risks of Flexible Vinyl Tubing:

In many homes, I see flexible vinyl tubing used for dryer vents. Vinyl, a type of plastic, is notorious for its ability to melt, which can lead straight to a house fire. This material, typically white and ribbed, is like a magnet for lint accumulation. Lint itself is incredibly flammable. It only takes a tiny spark to set it off, risking a fire.

There's another downside, too. When lint clogs up your dryer vent, your dryer has to work much harder, using more energy to dry your clothes. This not only prolongs your drying cycles – sometimes by hours – but also hikes up your utility bills. It's a costly and dangerous oversight that's easily avoided with the right venting material.

Mylar Foil Tubing - A Deceptive Choice:

Another frequent misstep is the use of mylar foil tubing. Its shiny exterior often misleads people into believing it's a safe, metal alternative. There's a product available called DryerFlex that looks similar to mylar but is a much safer option. If you're wondering whether your tubing is code approved, look for a UL 2158A sticker on it. No sticker means it's not up to the standard and should be replaced with proper rigid metal vent material.

Hazardous Venting Practices

I sometimes come across a setup where mylar tubing is used to vent a clothes dryer into the basement or garage. This is far from ideal as you are dumping all that moisture from your clothes right back into your house. This creates two big problems: a fire hazard from the lint, and a mold hazard from the moisture. In garages, the risks are the same but with an added twist: if there's a garage fire or carbon monoxide issue, it can travel right back into your home through that vent.

I've seen homes where PVC or corrugated drainpipes are used for dryer ducts. While PVC is great for plumbing, it's a big no for dryer vents. Why? Because PVC is plastic, it can build up a static charge, which could ignite lint and lead to a fire.

Dryer vents should always vent outside your home, placed strategically to avoid things like vegetation or snowbanks. The vent should have a proper damper or louvered cover to keep out rain, birds, bugs, and chilly air. However, steer clear of adding a screen to the exterior cover. Why? Because it's a lint trap waiting to happen, leading to blocked vents.

When it comes to preventative maintenance, I recommend cleaning your clothes dryer vent system at least twice a year. Most of the time, homeowners can handle this cleaning themselves. It's not too complicated, especially if you have a vacuum cleaner with a long hose attachment which makes accessing the vent's interior much easier. But if DIY isn't your thing, there's help available. Some HVAC professionals and chimney sweeps offer dryer vent cleaning services. Plus, there are companies that specialize in cleaning clothes dryer vents.

Author Bio-

Josh Rogers

As a former professional home inspector and Training Specialist at WIN Home Inspection, Josh has years of experience in both performing and teaching home inspections, infrared scans, radon testing, mold testing, and more.