Venting a dryer is essential. Dryers create a lot of warm moist air. This has to be moved in some way from the dryer to the outside of the dryer. Thus, venting comes in.
You may ask if you can vent a dryer into the attic. Let us help you get the answer you are looking for and provide you with some additional information.
Can you vent a dryer into the attic?
You cannot vent a dryer into the attic. A dryer exhausts warm and moist air through the vent. If you vent it in the attic, the moist air will cause various problems in the attic. It may cause the attic to catch moulds, get damp, and many more. Thus, it causes a lot of issues in the attic.
A dryer vent carries a lot of warm and moist air in it. This warm moist air comes from the dryer while it operates. This warm moist air has to be exhausted outside of the appliance. Thus, it is common to find that the dryer is vented outside the home.
But you may ask if you can vent it inside the house. The moisture in the warm air of the dryer will cause various problems in the attic. This may cause the frame in the attic to rot. It can ruin the insulation in the attic.
It can also cause moulds in the attic, which can cause various health risks.
You may ask what happens if you vent a particular dryer in the attic. Here is a specific dryer that we think you should know about if you are thinking of venting it in the attic of your building:
Gas dryer:
You cannot vent a gas dryer in the attic. We know that the gas dryers use gas to generate heat inside the dryer. This is a widely used clothes dryer in the United States for its reliability and usability.
But it would be best if you did not vent it inside the attic as it creates Carbon monoxide. This is harmful for human beings. If this is vented inside the house, it can negatively affect the people living inside the area.
Is it safe to vent a dryer into the house attic?
It is not safe to vent a dryer into the house attic. Dryers usually create a lot of moist warm air. This air is then carried through a vent outside of the appliance. Many people think that if they vent it in the attic, it may help keep the house’s environment warm.
But it is not safe to vent a dryer in the house attic.
If you are venting a gas dryer in the house attic, then it will exhaust a poisonous gas called Carbon monoxide. This is harmful to human beings. Thus, venting a gas dryer in the house attic is never safe.
Dryers cause damping the attic frame as it has moisture in the air. This causes the frame to get damaged, which may cause the structure of the house to be damaged. It also damages the insulation of the attic. So, it is not safe to vent your dryer in the house attic.
Does a dryer have to be vented outside?
Yes, a dryer has to be vented outside. A dryer has to be vented so that the warm air can get out of the appliance. Therefore, it is vented. But some people think to vent it in the attic or in the house. It is not safe nor recommended
A dryer has to be vented outside of the house. The dryer may carry poisonous gas like carbon monoxide. It has to be exhausted outside of the house. Moreover, a dryer can exhaust moist air. This can damage the attic frame and insulation. So, you have to vent your dryer outside.
Another reason you have to vent your dryer outside is that it carries a lot of lint. Thus, it can cause dirt buildup inside the building if not vented outside. It can cause various diseases and may create moulds.
5 reasons why you cannot vent a dryer in the attic
There are multiple reasons why you cannot vent a dryer in the attic. Here are the noteworthy reasons why you cannot vent your dryer in the attic:
It can cause lint buildup in the house:
Dryer vents carry air that is filled with lint from the clothes that are dried in the appliance. Venting a dryer in the attic can cause a massive lint buildup in the attic. Thus, your house may be dusty when using the dryer. This can cause various diseases.
It can damage the attic frame and damage the insulation:
The air carried through the vents is filled with warm moist air. This moisture is harmful to wood. Thus, it can damage the attic frame. It can also damage the attic insulation.
Creates moulds:
The moist air in the dryer vent needs to be exhausted in the open environment. But if it is exhausted in the attic, which is a closed environment, it can cause problems. If warm moist air is kept in a closed environment, it can cause the creation of moulds.
Moulds can cause various diseases in humans, which is not suitable for humans.
It can create a fire risk:
The warm air of the dryer vent can create a fire. The warmth of the air can heat the insulation & wooden parts of the attic. This can cause a fire to start.
It can exhaust harmful gas:
Dryers can exhaust harmful gas like Carbon monoxide. This gas is not safe for human beings. This gas can cause various health problems to humans living in the house.
What happens when you vent the dryer in the attic?
If you vent the dryer in the attic, various incidents happen. It causes the warm moist air to damage the attic frame and insulation. These are vital parts of an attic. If these are damaged, then it may cause the attic to be physically damaged.
Moreover, it can cause the house to be dusty. As lint is carried through the vents of the dryer, this is exhausted at the end of the vent. Thus, this link can cause lint buildup in the attic and lastly inside the house as well.
It can also cause moulds to be created. Moulds are not good for humans and cause various diseases. Thus, it can cause serious illness among the people living inside the house which has a dryer vented inside the attic.
It can also cause a fire. As the vent carries warm air, it can heat anything that is around near the open head of the vent. Thus, it can cause a fire to break out.
It can also cause a harmful gas issue. Some old dryers use gas to heat. These dryers vent out a poisonous gas called Carbon monoxide. This gas is not good for humans and can cause harmful diseases that may be life-threatening.
How to vent a dryer in the attic? How to install a dryer vent in the attic?
There is no safe way to vent a dryer in the attic. Using a dryer vent extension, you have to vent it out of the attic. It would be best if you vented it out outside.
If you want to know how to do that, here are the steps that we think you should follow to vent your dryer outside through the attic properly:
Connect the dryer vent to the dryer:
Attach the dryer vent that comes with the dryer package. Use screws and a screwdriver to connect it properly. Make sure that there is no gap between the connections.
Attach it to a dryer extension that reaches the attic:
Set a dryer extension right behind the dryer location. Make sure that the dryer extension is inside the wall. Make a hole in the wall. Connect the dryer vent of the dryer with the dryer extension in the wall using duct tape and an extender.
Connect a bend with the dryer extension pipe in the attic:
Set a dryer bend at the end of the extension that is inside the wall. The angle should be set according to the requirement of where the dryer will be terminated outside. Attach the bend properly in the attic.
Attach another dryer extension and terminate it outside through the attic:
Attach another dryer extension with the bend. Terminate the extension just outside the house. Seal the hole properly, which is terminating the vent outside.
Final Thoughts
You cannot vent a dryer into the attic. It is not suggested by the International Residential Code (IRC). But you can take your dryer vent through the attic and outside of the house. If you still vent in the attic, it can cause various risks to the people who are living along with the house.