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Venting Your Dryer Inside

February 2, 2010

clothes dryerSave some money on heat this winter. Vent your electric clothes dryer inside in the winter! Not only will you recover all the heat normally pumped outside but you'll be adding humidity to the air.

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Simply disconnect the venting pipe to the outside and install a separate 4 inch aluminum flexible vent pipe. Bring the pipe up behind the dryer and extend it over the top so you can reach it. Put a knee high stocking over the end to catch the lint. Be sure to insulate (like stuff an old towel) in the opening to the outside for the rest of the season.

Source: My Dad had showed me this years ago.

By Jim from Cleveland, OH

 
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July 14, 2013

I have a gas dyer and I need to vent it inside the house. I am aware of the heat and lint issue and extra humidity in the room. How do I vent it?

By Jim

Answers

July 15, 20130 found this helpful

Do a web search for indoor dryer vent. Home Depot and such stores carry kits for this. I have seen them advertised, and it supposedly isn't that bad an idea.

 

Gold Post Medal for All Time! 969 Posts
July 15, 20130 found this helpful

Some people have had luck with putting the hose inside a glass 1 gallon jar, but you have to watch it so it gets emptied often. Perhaps a sign on the dryer? Good luck. Here's a link that will help.

 
July 16, 20131 found this helpful

Every search result says that venting a gas dryer indoors is deadly.

 

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July 16, 20130 found this helpful

Every home improvement show on the TV says all types of dryers should be vented to the outdoors. I doubt that it is safe to do otherwise. You should check building codes in your area, and also visit your local hardware stores for kits to do the job.

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What you should not do is cobble together something based on some random advice from people who really know nothing about the issue.

 

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July 24, 20130 found this helpful

Electric dryers can be vented indoors. It's not safe to vent a gas dryer indoors.

 
September 25, 20160 found this helpful

You can NEVER vent a gas dryer indoors! Unless you are wanting to die...

 
Anonymous
November 21, 20160 found this helpful

I wouldnt do that. Gas burns creating carbon monoxide. Good way to never wake up after taking a nap after doibg laundry.

 
January 10, 20170 found this helpful

Gas dryers should never be vented inside. In addition to the hot moist air and lint, the vent from a gas dryer contains the combustion products of the gas fuel! The national codes have exceptions for interior venting of condensing type dryers. Some states allow electric dryers to vent to interior spaces.

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For electric dryers, the dryer vent trap should be free of damage and the termination of the venting should be a commercial interior dryer vent kit. In summary: Do not vent a gas dryer inside!

 
January 11, 20230 found this helpful

Never vent a gas dryer indoors.

 
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July 2, 2013

I lived with an electric dryer vented inside for about 16 years. It worked for me. I have a tenant living with one. Works for him too. You have to keep the cup filled with water in the type that I am familiar with.

 
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June 26, 2008

What are the dangers of venting an electric dryer indoors?

Kathy from OH

Answers

By Harry (Guest Post)
June 26, 20080 found this helpful

Putting a nylon over a vent pipe can cause a fire.
Never vent a dryer into a house. Some people do this by putting a nylon stocking over the vent pipe because they think it is a cheap source of heat. While it is true that it heats up the interior of the home, it adds moisture to the air which causes mildew, mold and fungi growth, and dry rot of the framing members in the laundry room area walls, floors, and ceilings.

 

Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 213 Posts
June 26, 20080 found this helpful

When I was younger I moved in to a house we'd just bought & started using the electric dryer without bothering to vent it to the outside & guess what!? The mirrors in the WHOLE house steamed TOTALLY up & everything was damp everywhere in the house... It left a very moist & somewhat warm foggy feeling in the house. This was not cool in the least, so I quickly got the dryer vented properly because I feared I was causing dangerous mold spores to grow (from the warm damp air) inside the bedding, sofa, carpeting & it's under-pad... It also isn't good for anyone with allergies...

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And I bet it's acutally dangerous if you have a gas powered dryer, because of possible carbon dioxide & gas fumes.

* If you live in a dry area (Like Arizona) you could open the windows & run a load or two, (If you REALLY need some clean clothes before you can get it hooked up) this wouldn't hurt anything, but I wouldn't do it on a regular basis. Also, be sure to have your dryer hooked up properly, because if you use a plastic vent hose & not the fire-resistant metal type, then if lint gets stuck in a kink or bend of the line a nasty house fire might start!

 

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July 23, 20080 found this helpful

I used my dryer a few times when the hose became disconnected, & saw mold spores. It was very damp. I don't think it's a good idea at all.

 
By truthiness (Guest Post)
November 23, 20080 found this helpful

I just had to comment regarding snoozer55's suggestion. It's a well intended suggestion but please be very careful!

Dryers pose significant & very real fire (due to lint) & health (due to mold) risks. That's why building codes are so specific about dryer venting.

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It's critical to avoid restricting the airflow (you're not even suppose to allow sheet metal screws to protrude into the vent). And it's obvious from the picture there is not enough exhaust holes to allow proper venting.

This would never pass code, permits more than enough moisture to form mold, will increase the time it takes to dry your clothes, & is a maintenance headache. But if you're inclined to do this, at the very least cut large 4" holes & optionally attach coarse stainless steel screen.

BTW, I commend snoozer's ingenuity & completely agree there should be a better solution, like some sort of a heat exchanger & condenser unit. It's a shame to waste the heat & water.

Good luck!

 
By JUSTIN (Guest Post)
December 8, 20080 found this helpful

What about all the moisture what do you do about that? Does the bucket catch a lot of it?

 
By Chris (Guest Post)
December 21, 20080 found this helpful

I know that venting a GAS dryer indoors would be extremely dangerous, because of carbon monoxide it produces.

Venting an electric dryer indoors would cause heat and moisture to accumulate inside ...but there could be times when that it very desirable, like when it is 20 degrees outside, and the air indoors is extremely dry because the home is heated with a forced air heating system.

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It seems to me that the warm moist air from the ELECTRIC dryer exhaust is exactly what is missing from the indoor air UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.

Any additional thoughts on this premise? Hidden hazards I am not thinking of ?

 
By Chris (Guest Post)
December 21, 20080 found this helpful

I know that venting a GAS dryer indoors would be extremely dangerous, because of carbon monoxide it produces.

Venting an electric dryer indoors would cause heat and moisture to accumulate inside, but there could be times when that it very desirable, like when it is 20 degrees outside, and the air indoors is extremely dry because the home is heated with a forced air heating system.

It seems to me that the warm moist air from the ELECTRIC dryer exhaust is exactly what is missing from the indoor air UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.

Any additional thoughts on this premise? Hidden hazards I am not thinking of?

 
By Candis S. (Guest Post)
January 13, 20090 found this helpful

I just last night found out that the remodel done 5 yrs. ago on my basement where the laundry room was relocated did NOT have the dryer vented outside. I found the other end of the hose just lying on the floor on the other side of the wall in my furnace closet. It had some little plastic vented cap on it so it was no accident. Do I have recourse against the construction company? I am very alarmed at what I'm reading about this, as it is a GAS dryer.

 
By Denise (Guest Post)
February 3, 20090 found this helpful

Does this bucket cause moisture?

 
July 2, 20130 found this helpful

Snoozer's solution looks like a bigger version of what I paid money for. I lived with an electric dryer vented using a vent kit for years. Worked really well. It did add needed humidity to my basement and helped it stay warmer in winter. I'd do it again if I didn' have an outside vent. I don't think this is a solution for a gas dryer.

 
January 2, 20181 found this helpful

1. Only do this during winter months when the humidity level in a home is low.
2. Only do this with an electric dryer. ( gas dryers cannot be used as carbon Monoxide is a byproduct of burning natural gas )
3. Dont use a flammable material to act as a lint catch. Simply use some duct tape and place a metal grate over the exhaust to catch lint.
4. Mold and mildew? Not likely, unless a) you already have this issue or b) you are drying dozens of loads a day.

 
October 2, 20190 found this helpful

Yea, it depends on the house and area youre in. You could vent an electric dryer indoors safely but it can lead to too much humidity in the place and mold. But you should never vent a gas dryer indoors due to carbon monoxide build up and the same issues with electric dryer with mold. Now you might ask yourself why isnt a gas stove required to be vented outdoors? The answer is that a gas stove doesnt give off as much carbon monoxide as a gas dryer or gas boiler. The quantity is much much larger and for longer periods.

 
March 8, 20210 found this helpful

I use a 5 gallon bucket wit added water putting the hose inside the bucket. Should a lid be used also or just tbe hose in tbe bucket enough

 
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June 26, 2008
Click to read more ideas from older posts on ThriftyFun.
 
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