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The proper venting of a clothes dryer
is critical. Most importantly for a gas dryer, it carries out toxic combustion gases, primarily carbon monoxide.The vent also carries warm, moist air out of the home. That moist air can lead to mold and damage to a home if not properly vented. Finally, because dryer lint can build up in the vent, an improperly maintained dryer vent is also a serious fire hazard.
 Before checking the vent, unplug the dryer or shut off the power
at the fuse box or breaker panel to avoid an electrical shock
hazard. Turn off the gas supply to your dryer. Caution:
Please read our safety
information before attempting any testing, maintenance
or repairs.
A gas dryer burns a mixture of
natural gas or propane and air. The resulting combustion gases
of carbon monoxide and dioxide are created. These gases must be
properly vented to the outdoors to prevent asphyxiation or poisoning. An improperly vented dryer can also
result in the build up of lint which represents a fire hazard.
A typical vent hose is about four
inches in diameter. It can be made of rigid steel or aluminum,
semi-rigid aluminum, flexible foil or flexible PVC / vinyl. The
vent hose connects from the rear lip of the dryer to the lip of
an exterior vent and should be held in place on both ends with
a band clamp.
The safest choice for a vent hose
is a rigid metal. There are two reasons for this, first, the rigid
metal eliminates the sagging that occurs in flexible venting.
Sags allow lint to accumulate in the vent and represent a fire
hazard. Second, the metal is not flammable and helps contain a
fire if the lint does ignite. The down side to the rigid vent
is that it is more difficult to connect to the dryer because it
is not flexible. Because it is rigid, you must be able to connect
it to the dryer with the dryer in place.
A reasonable alternative is a semi-rigid
aluminum vent. This material is fairly fire resistant and less
prone to sagging. Because it is flexible, you can connect it to
the dryer before moving the dryer into place.
The foil coated and plain PVC /
vinyl vent hoses are NOT recommended. These hoses are not fire
resistant and are prone to sagging. Lint build up is a problem
and if the lint catches fire, the vent hose burns too.
In all cases, the venting you use
should be of the shortest length possible and should be arranged
so that no low points (in which lint can accumulate) exist between
the dryer and the exterior vent. Use as few turns as possible and avoid sharp turns when possible. Each turn increases friction and reduces airflow which
increases the risk of lint build-up.
Periodically, you should inspect
your venting to make sure that it is clear of obstructions, such
as lint or rodent intrusion. Make sure there are no holes or tears.
Inspect the exterior vent for obstructions such as plants, weeds
or objects placed against the vent. It is also advisable to vacuum
any lint that has accumulated beneath the dryer. This periodic maintenance will reduce the fire risk, and the risk of poisonous gases entering your home. Another benefit of clearing the vent line of blockages is that it will improve your dryer's performance and reduce operating costs.
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