Can You Extend A Dryer Vent Outside?
Dryer vents are an important part of the dryer system. They are found in the back of the dryers, and they have a long duct that is used to take hot air from inside the dryer to outside. However, there are times when you want to extend it.
In the area where the dryer ductwork begins, a dryer duct vent extension can be added. The dryer vent can also be located at the wall where the ductwork meets the dryer vent.
They can be useful when a flexible metal duct needs to be attached easily to a hard-shell extension. If the vent opening is either blocked or inaccessible, you might have to extend it from the side.
You may also damage your siding if water condenses from the dryer and runs down the side of your house. Most duct vent extensions come with the clamp necessary to hook them up and are available in sizes that will fit your ductwork.
Things To Consider Before Extending A Dryer Vent
In order to exhaust moisture, heat, and small pieces of lint emitted by a clothes dryer, it has a vent hose. Overheating, fire hazards or poor drying efficiency can occur if moisture, heat, and lint cannot escape properly.
Dryers have a harder time expelling these items the longer their vent hoses are. A dryer hose extension is possible, but several factors need to be considered for it to be safe.
Depending On The Ventilation Hood
Some sort of venting is required for all dryer hoses. Vent hoods come in a variety of types. A hood with an opening about 4 inches wide is one type; a narrower hood with a louder opening with air exiting is another.
There are different lengths of hose that can be used with each type. You will be able to extend the hose longer with louvered or hooded vents than with narrower vents. However, heat and moisture will vent less through a vent hood with more restriction, so it is necessary to have a shorter vent hose.
It Depends On How The Elbows Are
A straight piece of rigid metal pipe is the best setup for maximum vent hose extension. An elbow in the hose, or a 90-degree bend, requires the hose to be shorter from start to finish.
A 90-foot hose for a GE dryer refers to a straight 90-foot metal vent. One elbow in the pipe will limit the length of the dryer to 60 feet, while two elbows will limit it to 45 feet.
Materials Used In Vents Determine The Performance
Various materials are used to make vent hoses. Metal rigid pipes are the most common, followed by flexible metal pipes and flexible vinyl pipes.
Using rigid metal vents will allow you to get the maximum extension length of your dryer because they are less resistant to existing material.
The second-best option is a flexible metal hose; vinyl hoses are not generally recommended for gas dryers and should never be used.
In Terms Of Brand And Model
The length of the dryer vent hose you can safely extend depends on the type of dryer you own. To determine the maximum length of hose, you can safely use, refer to your specific model’s owner’s manual.
In some cases, Whirlpool and Maytag dryers can handle hoses as long as 90 feet, while electric General Electric models are capable of handling hoses as long as 65 feet. However, the maximum length recommended by some brands, such as Amana and Camco, is 45 feet.
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Step By Step Guide On Extending A Dryer Vent Outside
You should always have a professional do this for you because it requires some experience with plumbing and ventilation systems. So, with that out of the way, let’s take a look at the steps.
- Make sure that the dryer is unplugged or that the circuit breaker is turned off and the circuit is unplugged. You will need to pull the dryer away from the wall to do this.
- It is necessary to remove the end of the duct from the dryer side or the vent side of the duct, depending on where you need the extension to be placed.
- You can remove the duct by unscrewing the clamp underneath with a screwdriver and pulling it off gently with your hands.
- The duct extension is inserted into the duct hose, a clamp is placed over the hose where the extension meets with the hose, and the clamp is tightened until it is flat against the duct hose.
- In order to fit inside the hose, the extension has a knurled side that fits inside the opening. Then, using the smooth side of the extension, slide it over the vent pipe in the wall or the duct coming out of the dryer.
- Make sure you press it on firmly so that friction holds it together. By doing this, you can easily remove it and clean the inside of it.
- Wrap metal duct tape around the end of the pipe where the edges meet if you want a permanent connection.
Note From The Author:
You might consider buying a dryer vent booster fan if your vented dryer is far from an outside wall or window. In this case, it might be best to get in touch with the manufacturer and ask for their advice.
As far as I’m aware, no vent hose extension kits are available from manufacturers. The exhaust fan on a dryer that pumps out the hot moist air might be able to be extended very slightly if needed, but its power is not that strong. So through an extended hose, it may have difficulty removing air efficiently.
Condensation and water accumulation would also be possible. Bends and kinks in the hose can cause this even when the original length is used. In this case, the hose will be restricted in diameter because it will be covered with lint and fluff.
The Bottom Line
It is necessary to keep a few things in mind if you want to extend your dryer vent hose, since there may be some complications involved. A certain ideal length should be maintained when it comes to venting hoses. The length of vent hoses is determined by the manufacturer and is designed to be a specific length.
In most cases, this is the maximum length to which the dryer can be vented without running into potential problems. However, the technical possibility of connecting two vent hoses together or extending their length in some way will certainly be possible in the future.
However, there is one problem that needs to be addressed: Will the dryer be able to pump hot, moisture-laden air all the way to the end of the extended hose? It is possible that the dryer will be inefficient and, at worst, overheated if it is unable to do this.
