How To Effectively Clean A 25 Ft Dryer Vent

Clothes dryers are pretty much a standard commodity in most of today'southward homes. If you don't have direct admission to a dryer in your home, you lot probable accept admission to i in a laundromat. If you live in an apartment, about complexes have a laundromat or laundry room on site. With all the dryers in the world, there are many unlike means to vent them based on your situation.

When necessary, a dryer vent pipe tin can go up and vent vertically. Dryers are designed with multiple options for venting because venting dryers isn't one-size-fits-all. If the situation calls for it, then yous can vent your dryer upwardly, down, or sideways depending on where the termination needs to go.

Venting a dryer upwards has different rules and stipulations than venting sideways or downwards. There are many things to remember when information technology comes to dryer venting to maximize prophylactic and effectiveness. To find out more virtually how to properly vent your dryer, keep reading.

How High Can a Dryer Vent Get Up?

The maximum summit that a dryer vent can go upwards is the same equally the full length of whatever dryer vent, 35-40 feet. The piping that's venting your dryer can go as loftier as forty anxiety in the air, barring the fact that there aren't any twists or turns. If you lot insert a 90-degree elbow in your dryer duct, that counts equally five vertical feet. 45-degree angles count every bit an additional ii.5 feet.

The type of material that you lot use to vent your dryer doesn't touch on how loftier up it tin can go. Aluminum, PVC, metal, and metallic flex are all options for venting a dryer, merely you tin't run one further than the other. The just thing that affects how loftier you tin take your dryer vent is how many 90-degree and 45-degree angles you have in the pipe itself.

*Diagram of a proper vertical dryer vent*

Tin My Dryer Vent Go Through the Attic?

As long as y'all insulate your dryer vent pipe, y'all can run the line through an attic. You can also run your pipe through unconditioned spaces, as long as the vent pipe is insulated.

A common misconception is that a dryer vent doesn't take any moisture, so information technology isn't insulated. This idea about dryer vents is incorrect. Dryer vents have hot air running through them, which ways that when the pipe with hot air gets exposed to cold air, condensation and moisture volition course.

If your dryer vent isn't properly insulated, so this could result in moisture and mold issues. Every bit long equally your pipe is insulated or vented low enough and so that the attics' insulation covers information technology, yous can run your dryer vent through the attic.

Can a Dryer Vent Terminate Through the Roof?

While it isn't advisable, yous can have the termination of your dryer vent going through the roof. Venting through the roof should only be used equally a last resort, however, when running your dryer vent piping.

The vent cap that yous'll take to put on the end of your dryer vent has the potential to block the dryer lint. Lint piling upwardly in your dryer vent is a fire hazard, which is the number one reason why you lot should pursue other options for venting your dryer.

Here are several of the main reasons why y'all shouldn't vent your dryer through the roof:

Fire chance

As I just mentioned, dryer vents terminating through the roof nowadays a more significant burn down hazard than vents going through the side of a wall. The dryer vent pipe is responsible for expelling hot air and moisture along with dryer lint away from the dryer. If the line is vented vertically through the roof, the type of vent cap that you lot must use presents more of a blockage gamble than other caps practice.

Risk of water damage

While roof dryer vents have special rain caps installed on them, they aren't 100% effective at keeping the rain out. The cap will terminate rain from dropping through the vent from a vertical trajectory merely not from the sides. If you alive in an expanse with heavy winds, at that place's a practiced adventure that some rain will get swept into your dryer vent.

More difficult to clean and maintain

In one case you install the dryer vent, you'll nonetheless have to perform occasional maintenance to keep it working correctly. Maintenance includes removing the vent cap from the end and sweeping as much of the residue dryer lint out equally possible. If your dryer vent is on the roof, maintenance will prove much more than complicated than if information technology were on the side of your house.

How to Vent a Dryer Through the Roof

While it's non recommended, there are some situations when the simply possible way to vent your dryer is through the roof. If that's your merely pick, then here's what you demand to do.

one. Option your spot for vent termination.

Figuring out the exact spot where you want your dryer vent going through the roof is your first pace. Figuring this out is essential, and you lot shouldn't rush this step. You lot'll want a spot where the vent isn't an eyesore but too where it'southward relatively easy to become to for maintenance.

Recollect, even though you lot're allowed to take your dryer vent as far equally 35 feet, you should effort to keep it every bit short as possible. The shorter the altitude of your vent is, the meliorate your dryer will operate. Your clothes will accept longer to dry, and you lot'll have more bug with lint clogs if your dryer vent is too long.

ii. Brand your outside pigsty.

In one case y'all've picked the vent'south last destination, your next step is to brand the hole for the dryer vent. Nearly all dryer vent pipes are 4″ round, and you lot'll want your pigsty to be large enough for the line to fit through, simply barely. Unlike other vent pipes, you don't demand several inches of clearance around the pipe to accommodate the heat that it gives off. A dryer vent is only a burn down hazard if it clogs and the lint inside of it catches burn.

Trace the outline of your dwelling house, making sure that information technology'south large enough to adjust both the dryer pipe and the rain cap that's getting installed at the stop. The best style to practise this is to put the pelting cap facedown against the roof and trace your pencil effectually its perimeter. Next, cutting your hole with either a round drill bit or with a saw.

3. Install and insulate the vent pipage itself.

Next, it's time really to install and insulate the dryer vent pipe. Using a four″ aluminum or metal dryer vent pipe, connect one piece to another until y'all have a succession of lines running from the dryer to the roof vent location. Remember, 90-degree elbows count equally an extra v feet, and 45-degree angles count as an additional two.5 feet of distance. Brand certain that you don't exceed 35 feet in length.

Installing the roof boot for the dryer vent is i of the more challenging parts of the project. Yous'll need the advisable size roof flashing too as some blackjack roof sealant for the waterproofing process. The roof flashing should get installed first and so that the dryer pipe can slip through information technology.

You'll demand to slide the flashing underneath the shingles on the height side of the pigsty through your roof. Secure the flashing to the roof with 1″ roofing nails specially designed for shingles and roof flashings. Put a bead of blackjack caulk around the lesser of the roof flashing to ensure that no rain tin sneak underneath the flashing and into your attic.

In one case the flashing is correctly installed, slide the dryer pipe through the hole in the flashing and extend it at least a foot through the roof. You want to make sure it's far enough through the roof and so that piled-upwards snow won't cover information technology upwardly. Anywhere that the dryer pipe isn't covered by the insulation in your attic, you'll need to wrap insulation around it.

4. Record and seal your piping joints.

In one case the vent is run from start to cease, it'due south time to go through and tape all of the joints in the dryer pipage. Anywhere that you connected one piece to another or wherever you used an elbow, the joint needs to be taped. Yous tin use sail metallic tape or duct tape for this process. Make sure that y'all never use screws to adhere the pieces considering the dryer lint will get caught on them and cause a blockage.

five. Install your dryer vent cap and pelting cap.

Finally, it's time to install the rain cap and dryer vent cap on the outside of your piping, where information technology terminates through the roof. The all-time mode to do this is to purchase a vent cap that's especially designed for dryer vents going through the roof. Information technology should fulfill the task of keeping the pelting out of the vent pipe and let dryer lint to blow freely through the go out hole without bottleneck.

In that location you take information technology, how to properly run a dryer vent through the roof. Remember that this is the final resort for venting your dryer and should simply be used when absolutely necessary.

*Vertical dryer vent not connected to the roof cap in the attic*

Tin You Vent a Dryer Vertically?

Yous tin can vent a dryer vertically equally long as you don't exceed a distance of 35 feet in length. The preferred style to vent a dryer is downward or laterally but vertically is indeed an option. There are too special considerations to keep in heed when running a dryer vent vertically. Some of these are:

Always insulate your duct when running through an attic or unconditioned infinite.

Brand certain that you have a vent or frazzle hood that will keep the rain out of your pipe while making sure that lint has ample room to escape.

Make certain that you install a dryer booster fan if your full distance exceeds 35 feet.

The hole in your roof where the dryer vent terminates should be in a location that's piece of cake to maintain nevertheless aesthetically pleasing.

Can a Dryer Vent Accept Twists and Turns in It?

When necessary, your dryer vent can have a twist or turn in information technology in order to vent information technology to the outside. There are times when you'll have to start venting the dryer vent in an upward direction, merely you'll want to end upwards going out the side of your business firm. The principal affair to remember when doing this is that you should never take traps in your dryer duct.

A trap is when you go from upwards to downwards and back to up over again, effectively forming a valley and a hill in your vent pipage. A dryer doesn't have enough power to propel its frazzle products through a trap, and a clog in your vent volition be the issue. Every bit long as you lot don't form a trap, your dryer duct can brand several twists and turns when necessary.

Here are some important things to recollect when changing directions with your dryer duct:

It'southward ok to get upward or down just never to do both in rapid succession with your dryer vent pipe.

Every 90-degree turn adds an extra five feet to your total distance, and every 45-caste turn adds an extra 2.5 anxiety. Information technology's extremely piece of cake to forget this if you lot don't have much experience installing dryer vents.

When venting a dryer pipe out through the side of your house, yous need a dryer vent cap but non a rain cap.

Does a Dryer Vent Need to be Insulated?

Anytime that a dryer vent is running through an unconditioned infinite, it should exist insulated. Dryer vents accept warm or hot air running through them that will create moisture when exposed to unconditioned temperatures. This moisture could eventually cause mold damage or water damage if the pipe isn't properly insulated.

You lot don't need overly tough or thick insulation for the dryer duct. The insulation that'due south in your attic is sufficient if you lot can apply it to cover the dryer piping. If that isn't an option, then wrapping the piping with whatsoever type of insulation is sufficient.

How Long Can a Dryer Vent Be?

A dryer vent should not exceed 35 or 40 feet in length at the absolute maximum. Anything longer than this volition crave a dryer booster fan to ensure that the vent doesn't clog upwards.

A dryer is but designed to push air and lint up to 35 anxiety, which ways that if your vent is longer than that, in that location's a good take a chance it won't make information technology all the way to the outside. A clogged dryer vent is a fire hazard, and you'll also observe that it takes forever for your apparel to dry.

Can a Tumble Dryer Vent Go Up?

Installing the vent for a tumble dryer is slightly different than that of a typical dryer, only you can still run the vent upwardly if necessary.

Tumble dryer vents need to be a niggling bit shorter than other dryers, but the vent can notwithstanding run vertically when necessary. Y'all tin can even have twists and turns in your tumble dryer vent as long every bit the vent doesn't exceed 25 anxiety in length.

Final Thoughts

No matter what type of dryer vent you're installing, there are always options. Running your vent upwardly or down or all around is allowed, only always remember that the shorter the pipe length is, the better off you are. If the total distance of your dryer vent is more 35 feet, then you'll need a dryer booster fan to push button the air and lint the residue of the fashion to the outside.

Whether you determine to run your vent yourself or have a professional install it, ever remember the rules when it comes to running your vent pipage through unconditioned spaces. When in doubt, information technology'due south always best to insulate and play it safe. Exist smart, and make sure your vent is installed and maintained properly for all-time results and for your own safe.