Electric Clothes Dryer and Vent

[MiketheEngineer]

Dumb old structural here and fighting a building department.

Do ELECTRIC clothes dryers need to be vented?? I have been told that some people buy them just so they don't need a vent.

I would vent it - but there is literally NO room to put in a 4'' vent....very tight closet

Working under IBC 2003/06

Thanks for any help.

 

[Compositepro]

Where do you expect the heat and water from the clothes to go? People have been known to use electric and gas dryer vents for heat in winter but there are hazards in doing this and no code will allow it. Ventless heaters are allowed in many states but you are not trying to remove 10 lbs of water from a load of laundry.

I have seen commercial products in the hardware store designed to catch lint and allow the dryer to be vented into the room.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

And I was told that those were illegal??

10 lbs of water and heat in the winter might be a good thing

Thanks for response

 

[hydtools]

How about a ventless washer/dryer combination unit? It uses a condenser system to remove dryer heat and drains condensate out the washer drain.

http://www.lgwasherdryer.com/combos/wm3431hw.htm

Ted

 

[hydtools]

Or just a dryer.

http://www.ffemax.com/t712cw.html?productid=t712cw&channelid=NEXTA

Ted

 

[chicopee]

Moisture will be your biggest problem if not vented. Ofcourse you can always remove the vent hose after inspection but be forwarn.

 

[Twoballcane]

it sounds like a blanket statment just incase sombody decides to switch to a gas dryer...

Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."

 

[griffengm]

Mike,
There is a flattened (1-1/2" to 2" thick, IIRC) telescoping vent that you might take a look at.

Griffy