Can’t Vent Your Dryer Outside? Here’s How To Do It Indoors

When you use your dryer, you have to make sure that it vents appropriately. Making sure your driver can vent itself safely is important because this will keep your dryer from overheating. The vast majority of people who have a dryer have one that vents to the outside. 

It is usually better to vent your dryer to the outside because you don’t have to worry about drastically changing the temperature inside your house every time you run the dryer. At the same time, there might be situations where you cannot vent your dryer to the outside. 

If you want to vent your dryer inside, you need to make sure you minimize the risk of fire hazards and indoor pollution while still giving your dryer a chance to cool itself down. When done properly, you may be able to provide an extra source of heat to your home in the winter. 

If your driver cannot vent to the outside, what do you need to do? Fortunately, there are ways for you to vent your dryer inside as well. Learn more about what you need to do to safely and effectively vent your dryer inside! 

Vent Your Dryer Indoors Using an Indoor Dryer Vent Kit

Your first option for preventing a dryer inside your home is to use something called an indoor dryer vent kit. This is usually the best method because a lot of commercial kits already come with supplies you can use to overcome some of the dangerous safety issues associated with venting your dryer inside. 

Before you purchase an indoor dryer vent kit and try to use it, you need to make sure it is compatible with your dryer. Dryers come in all shapes and forms, so you need to take a closer look at the indoor dryer vent kit and make sure it is compatible with your dryer. If you are unsure of whether that kit is going to work for you, you may want to read a few reviews or contact the company directly. 

If you want to use an indoor dryer vent kit to vent your dryer inside, there are several steps you need to follow.

Step 1: Find a Good Location for the Vent Kit

The first thing you should do is take a look at your dryer and find a good location for the vent kit itself. The kit is going to work best if it is placed on a vertical wall. It also needs to be as close as possible to your dryer.

Then, you need to make sure you think about where the exhaust is going to go. Remember that you do not want the exhaust to leak into an attic, a ridge vent, a crawl space, or a soffit. Otherwise, this is going to lead to significant issues. 

Before you start placing the exhaust fan, keep in mind that you will need to access the vent as well. For example, you will need to perform routine maintenance on the benefit from time to time. So you should make sure you can get into the vent kit when you need to. 

When you are looking at your dryer to figure out where you want to hook up the vent kit, remember that you want to place the connection at the rear of the dryer. You want to use metal fittings that keep the vent kit to two 90 degree turns at most, which is a last resort. We want to keep kinks and turns to a minimum. All of this will help you place your vent kit in the best position possible to be successful. 

Step 2: Mount the Vent Kit Itself

After this, it is time to mount the vent kit itself. Keep in mind that the steps are going to vary slightly depending on the type of kit you have. Therefore, you should always read the manual to figure out exactly what you need to do. (If you don’t have one to hand, you can always look it up online!)

First, you should try to find the door latches on the vent kit itself. You should use these to open the door to the kit. 

Next, you should make sure your vent kit is steady against the chosen wall. You will need to mark where the screws are going to go. You should use a power drill to drill a hole at the screw locations.

You may need to use a hammer to tap the plastic anchors into place. Depending on the type of kit you have, you may have more or fewer anchors to place. When you are trying to find suitable locations for your screws, remember that you do not want to drill into sheetrock. 

Finally, once you have the screws in place, you can position the kid against the wall. Screw it in place to make sure it does not come loose. 

Step 3: Install the Exhaust Line

Once the kit is in place, it is time to install the exhaust line. Mounting the exhaust line can be a challenge, and you need to take a close look at the manual to make sure you understand exactly what you are doing.

When you are trying to find a place to connect the kit to the dryer, you need to find a location position that creates the shortest path possible between your dryer and the vet kit itself, with as minimal kinks and bends – especially 90 degree turns – as possible.

Once you have found a suitable location for the dryer exhaust line, you will need to stretch out the flexible portion of the duct. Use this to connect the exhaust line to the dryer itself. Remember that you will need to use a secure connection, clamping the hose into place.

Finally, once you have attached the exhaust line to the dryer, you’ll need to attach it to the vent kit as well. Again, you need to make sure that the exhaust line has been secured properly to the vent kit. 

Step 4: Calibrate the Exhaust Flap

After the vent has been installed properly, you need to calibrate the exhaust flap if it comes with one. A lot of vent kits have an exhaust flap that makes maintenance easier. The goal of the flaps is to open when the screen is due for cleaning, making it easier. The exhaust flap is going to stay open until you have properly cleaned and reset it.

Every driver kit is a bit different, but many exhaust flaps are calibrated using magnetic weights. To calibrate the exhaust flap, you will need to clean the screen mounted inside the dryer. Take a look at the manual for your dryer to figure out how to use this. 

To calibrate the exhaust flap, you will need to use weights to mimic the dryer vent getting full. You may want to set the vent flap to open when it is 80 percent full. That way, you know you need to clean it. 

It can be a bit difficult to understand how the calibration process works, but if you take a look at the manual, you should be able to figure it out. That way, you will have an easier time keeping your vent clean. 

Do’s and Don’ts with Venting a Dryer Inside

Ultimately, there are plenty of vent kits available that can help you figure out a way to vent your dryer to the inside. At the same time, it is important to keep a few important do’s and don’ts in mind. These include:

• Gas Dryers: You should never vent a gas dryer to the inside of your building. The biggest risk of venting a gas dryer to the inside is carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a dangerous gas that is emitted when gas is combusted. You need to make sure all carbon monoxide gas goes the outside. This is the same reason why you should not start a car when your garage door is closed. 
• Maintenance: You should always follow the recommended maintenance schedule associated with an indoor venting kit. If you do not get your vent kit maintained on time, dust and debris are going to build up. This is going to prevent your dryer from venting properly, causing it to overheat. 
• Mold Growth: You should watch for mold and mildew. The air coming from a dryer is incredibly humid. It’s not unusual for mold and mildew to become a problem, particularly around the area where the dryer is being vented. You should sweep the area regularly, looking for signs of moist spots around the dryer. If you see moist areas, you need to clean them up as quickly as possible to prevent mold and mildew from growing. 
• Asthma and Allergies: You should not overlook asthma and allergies. There are lots of people who suffer from chronic respiratory conditions including asthma and allergies. If you decide to vent your dryer to the inside, it could make these conditions worse. It’s worth thinking carefully about the indoor air quality in your building and consider the people who live with you. That way, you do not endanger their health.

These are a few important do’s and don’ts you need to keep in mind if you are thinking about venting your dryer to the inside. If you think about these issues ahead of time, you may be able to avoid serious issues in the future. 

Consider Venting Your Dryer to the Indoors

When possible, you need to make sure your dryer vents to the outdoors. That way, you do not have to worry about impacting people with chronic respiratory conditions and you can avoid this serious fire risk. At the same time, if you cannot vent your dryer to the outside, you might be able to vent it indoors.

Remember that you should never vent a dryer inside if it is a gas dryer, as this can increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Even though there are kits you can use to build an indoor vent on your own, you may want to reach out to a professional who can help you.