Is It Okay To Vent A Dryer Through A Roof

Dryer vent specialists will tell you that a vertical approach to installing a dryer vent is inefficient and creates a fire risk for a home if it goes unchecked.

Is it okay to vent a dryer through a roof.

It is not advisable to vent a dryer through the roof. It should have a cap on the end with a flapper so that animals cannot get in. After the snow melts below the vent it ll probably freeze again farther down on the roof. In order to take advantage of the shortest route a better termination was required roof vent airflow restriction for non dryer specific vents versus the more efficient dryerjack.

The sheet metal duct is cooled by the outside air in the attic. After the snow melts below the vent it ll probably freeze again farther down on the roof. Before you clean a dryer vent on the roof vacuum out the vent behind the dryer since it s easier to clean out the length of the vent from the ground floor. Check with your appliance dealer or local building inspector for recommendations about the best roof vent cap to use.

Cleaning lint buildup from roof vents is difficult and nesting birds and squirrels often find roof vent caps irresistible. This causes the steam from your dryer. When venting dryers for long distances use rigid metal pipe with as few elbows as possible. Doing so would fill your attic with warm moist air that could rot the framing.

Once the vent is exposed use a vent brush first clean the exterior surfaces. If venting outside isn t an option you can vent the dryer out of the attic through the roof using a special roof vent to keep rain out. No a dryer should not be vented through the roof. Vent a dryer through the roof only as a last resort.

This is one of the most common mistakes we see from people who are not experienced with air ducts. Be careful you don t cut through any studs electrical wires or pipes in the process. When bath fans and clothes dryers vent through the roof they melt a bunch of snow. Then get on the roof and peel back any shingles that may be covering the vent as well as the guard.

While it sometimes made sense to vent through the roof every roof vent that had previously been used was inefficient often to a dangerous degree. It should go out through a wall or the eve of a roof. The international residential code allows you to run a dryer vent through the attic but you can t terminate it there.