I recently moved into a new home and noticed that the dryer is venting directly into the garage. This feels hazardous to me, and I'm looking for advice on the best way to handle this situation. The laundry room is adjacent to the garage entrance, but optimizing the vent to go outside would mean extending it and the exit would face the front porch. What are my options?
3 Answers
First things first, do you have an electric or gas dryer? Electric dryers venting indoors can lead to mold issues, while gas dryers can be extremely dangerous if vented indoors due to carbon monoxide. Since you mentioned it's an electric dryer, that’s definitely something to keep in mind!
If you're considering extending the venting, you can definitely have it run out toward the front porch. Just make sure to check the dryer’s specifications. Most dryers have a duct length limit of around 35 feet, plus a maximum of 6 feet of flexible ducting. Just remember, if you end up over that length, you'll need a booster fan to maintain proper airflow.
Venting into the garage isn't ideal, but if you keep the garage door open while the dryer runs, you're venting to the outside air effectively. Just make sure to keep an eye on the length of your ducting as longer runs can clog and become a fire hazard. There are ways to manage it, like installing a cleanout joint in the garage for easy maintenance!