I recently discovered that my 3/4 bathroom in the basement doesn't have a ventilation fan. The previous owner didn't include one when they finished the basement. There's a wall separating the bathroom from the laundry area where my washer and dryer are located. I'm considering connecting the bathroom fan vent to the existing duct for the dryer. Is this a feasible idea? I'm worried about any potential issues like air coming out of the wrong vent or moisture accumulating in places it shouldn't. What are your thoughts?
3 Answers
You definitely have to be careful with this! If you have an electric dryer, it might work, but you could end up with moisture issues or air being pulled from the bathroom while the dryer is running. If it’s a gas dryer, totally avoid this setup—it could be dangerous. So, it’s a yes and no situation; really depends on your dryer type!
Just to chime in, connecting the bathroom vent to the dryer duct is most likely against the code, especially in the US. I was in a similar situation and I found that air pressure can push into the dryer, which is not ideal. The best practice is to vent it up through the nearest wall to the attic and out through the roof or the side. This can be tricky for older basements, but it's worth doing right!
If you have a gas dryer, connecting those vents could lead to carbon monoxide issues, which is obviously a no-go! For electric dryers, you might want to think about a damper system to prevent lint from blowing back into your bathroom. Plus, I think this could definitely be against building codes. If you can, running a separate vent to the outside wall would be the safest route.
I’m curious—what’s wrong with venting out the sidewall? My house was originally set up that way before we moved the washer and dryer upstairs. It worked fine with a straight pipe to the exterior wall!