A dryer is a common household appliance that is used to remove moisture from clothes and fabrics. A dryer is used to soak the cloth’s moisture after they are washed in a washing machine.
This article will provide an in-depth answer and offer you deep insights into the venting procedure of the dryer and the distance of dryer exhaust from the dryer machine.
How far can a dryer vent run?
A dryer vent can run up to 35 feet from the dryer location. It is recommended to use a moderate-length dryer vent. The length of the clothes dryer exhaust duct should be no more than 35 feet. Exceeding this length will result in problems in venting and cause exhaust to be stuck inside the vent.
A dryer vent can run up to 35 feet from the dryer location to the wall or roof. But the length shall not exceed this limit because a longer dryer vent pipe causes the exhaust to be stuck in the pipe.
High:
A dryer vent can go up to 35 feet in high from the termination of the wall or roof. But this height depends on the location of the dryer. Normally dryer vents are attached to the wall or roof terminal.
Dryer vent coming out far from the termination of wall or roof is not desirable and it causes some problems during the escaping of dryer exhaust.
Long:
But vertically a dryer vent can run up to the attic. But the flow of exhaust should be maintained properly. The vertical length of a dryer vent should also be at a reasonable distance because a longer vent causes the hot dryer exhaust to be stuck inside the pipe.
How long can a flexible dryer vent be?
A flexible dryer vent can be 35 feet long. But exceeding 35 feet dryer vent length can cause venting problems. A dryer vent should be straight and flexible. Hot exhaust releases through the vent pipe. So it is essential to use a durable dryer vent.
Longer than 35 feet dryer vents are avoided because exhaust doesn’t escape through the long vent pipe easily and moisture sticks to the vent wall. Also using a longer vents is costly and not effective.
What is the minimum length of the dryer vent hose?
There is no minimum length of a dryer vent hose but the dryer vent hose should be long enough to properly vent hot exhaust. But there is no minimum length limit of a dryer vent hose. There are dryer vent hoses available in the market that are only 1 or 2 feet long.
But the maximum length of the dryer vent hose should be up to 35 feet. Longer than 35 feet vent hose has some drawbacks. But there is no minimum length of the dryer vent hose.
You can install a dryer vent hose having a preferable length (not more than 35 feet) for the dryer in your house.
Is it bad to have a long dryer vent?
Yes, it is bad to have a long dryer vent. The proper way is to keep your dryer vent short and straight. Having a dryer vent sometimes comes with some drawbacks. And using a more than 35 feet long dryer vent is not advisable. Keep the length of your dryer vent hose within 35 feet.
But it is better to keep the dryer vent short so that the hot exhaust from the dryer can easily escape through the vent. A longer dryer vent causes the exhaust to be stuck inside the vent wall. Besides using a long dryer vent isn’t cost-effective.
Using a long vent hose results in the rise of buying and installation costs.
What happens if the dryer vent is too long?
A dryer vent can run up to 35 feet. But using a dryer vent hose longer than 35 feet comes with some drawbacks. For this reason, usually short dryer vents are used to release the exhaust. The problems if the dryer vent is too long are listed hereafter –
Extended drying time:
Dryers are used to soak up the moisture from the clothes. The dryer uses heat to remove moisture from the fabric. The hot moisture is released through a vent hose. Using a long dryer vent extends the time of fabric drying because moisture doesn’t release readily in a long vent.
Moisture is often trapped in the dryer vent wall and some moisture travels back to the drying machine. This causes a loss of energy and time. The moisture can’t release easily through the pipe and store in the vent pipe.
Affect appliances:
The dryer is a common household appliance. Trapped moisture inside the vent oxidizes the vent wall. It hampers the quality of the dryer and vent hose. Also, the storage of moisture in the vent wall causes a damp and wetted environment around the surroundings.
It affects the duration of household appliances.
Lint build-up:
Too long vent hose encourages lint build-up on the venting pipeline. Lint is the accumulation of small textile fibers and other materials. Lint build-up on the vent hose can hamper appliance operation in the house.
Lint hinders the exhaust venting and increases the temperature inside the vent pipe.
Can a dryer vent go up and out?
A dryer vent can go up and out. You can direct your dryer vent horizontally to reach an upward connection. But you can also direct the dryer vent up all the way to the roof for venting.
The venting pipe should be up to 35 feet long to release the exhaust. But it is better not to use a long vent pipe as vapor builds up inside a long vent hose and it can affect the appliances. You can use a vent pipe directly up to the roof from the machine and release it into the environment. For this purpose, it is better to select a short route for the vent pipe to go out.
The minimum length of a dryer vent can be as short as 1 to 2 feet long. But you may need a longer than 5 feet hose to horizontally direct the vent pipe outside. In this way, you can vent the exhaust of the dryer directly from anywhere in the house.
How to vent a dryer in the middle of the house?
Dryer vents are often installed in the middle of the house. It is safe to install and vent a dryer in the middle of your house. The steps to vent a dryer in the middle of the house are listed hereafter –
Place and adjust first venting hook-up:
Place and adjust the first venting periscope at about a 90-degree angle through the floor. It is better to maintain the 90-degree angle for the proper exhaust flow. Then you have to connect the periscope with the dryer. You have to perfectly fit the connection with one another.
Second periscope installation:
You have to line and connect the second periscope with the first hanging periscope. Connect one top end of the second periscope to the bottom end of the first periscope. Make sure to perfectly connect the first periscope with the dryer.
After the manual connection, seal the connection using a silicone sealant. Use insulation for minimizing lint formation and airflow in the periscope.
PVC connection:
Lastly, you have to connect PVC with the opening of the periscope. PVC will minimize the chance of overheating. You can use 4 to 6 inches of PVC to wrap the pipe.
If you want to overlap the pipes for proper heat transfer then you can you another 5 to 8 inches of PVC pipes outside to wrap the existing pipe. PVC overlapping prevents unwanted bugs from entering the pipe.
What is the code for a dryer vent?
The code for a dryer vent is International Residential Code (IRC) at M1502 – Clothes Dryer Exhaust. Dryer exhaustion must be held according to the manufacture’s instruction of IRC M1502.1.
The codes are mentioned hereafter –
- The dryer exhaust system should be separated from the other systems and only convey hot moisture from the dryer to the outdoors.
- The exhaust duct must end outside the building or according to the manufacture’s instruction. But termination of the exhaust must not be less than 3 feet from the entrance of the building.
- The exhaust duct must be made of metal of minimum thickness 0.01 inches and 4 centimeters in normal diameter. The duct must have a smooth interior finish.
- The maximum length of the dryer vent duct must be up to 35 feet to the termination outlet.
Final thoughts
A dryer vent can run up to 35 feet from the outlet termination. The outlet termination can proceed from the end of the wall or roof. But it is better to use short length pipe for the dryer vent duct. Exhaust can easily escape through the short vent pipe and don’t overheat the duct.