Dryer vent

[Kenneth Blair]

Do you consider this dryer vent a problem. I reported that this unsupported duct dipping down could collect lint and possibly become clogged. And that a clogged vent line would restrict the air flow from the dryer and if was restricted bad enough that it could possibly cause a dryer fire.
The seller had a local building inspector look at this and he told them that is was not a problem. I just felt that this vent line should be supported or replaced with a metal duct to prevent it from dipping. Is this a problem worth reporting?

[Henry Valenzano, CMI]

you did your job. if they ever have a problem in the future they can go back on the building inspector and not you

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Yes, it's a problem and a potential fire hazard.

Is this a concealed space (crawlspace)? If so, building codes do not allow this type of duct in concealed spaces.

Absolutely call this out as a potential fire hazard, regardless of where it is. I don't believe a building inspector ever saw this and said it was okay.

[phinsperger]

With something like 20,000 dryer related fires each year I would bet that some of them were due to vents such as you have there.

[Matt Berman]

I recommend smooth metal pipe,no screws at joints and well supported.Matt.

[jinvernizzi]

Is that non-metallic (plastic or vinyl) flex duct?

If it is, does the dryer manufacturer state that it is OK to use this? I've seen instructions (statements) on dryers that state the warranty is void if anything other than metal is used.

[Henry Valenzano, CMI]

On the new LG steam unites they are requires to have a mechanical 90 off the back or the warranty is void.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

"The dryer vent in the crawl space was corrugated, flexible ducting. Today's standards for new construction specify that corrugated pipe may be used only within the first 8 feet and may not be concealed within construction. The concealed ducts should be rigid metal ducts or equivalent, vented to the exterior of the home. This is recommended for fire safety reasons."

[Russel Ray]

I'm in full agreement with Jeff.

Originally Posted by jfunderburk

"The dryer vent in the crawl space was corrugated, flexible ducting.

Add "plastic" to that (i.e., plastic corrugated, flexible ducting). Plastic is even worse than metal cor-flex.

[Robert J. OConnor]

Originally Posted by jfunderburk

"The dryer vent in the crawl space was corrugated, flexible ducting. Today's standards for new construction specify that corrugated pipe may be used only within the first 8 feet and may not be concealed within construction. The concealed ducts should be rigid metal ducts or equivalent, vented to the exterior of the home. This is recommended for fire safety reasons."

Originally Posted by rray

Add "plastic" to that (i.e., plastic corrugated, flexible ducting). Plastic is even worse than metal cor-flex.

I completely agree with both of those statements. Poor dryer exhausts is a common cause of fires.

Also add that it needs to be smooth inside metal duct, with joints in the direction of flow, and no protruding sheet metal screws.

Check out this classic one on a brand new +$1,000,000 home ...

.

[bsumpter]

How is this amalgam for a narrative?:

The dryer vent in the crawl space was corrugated, flexible ducting. Today's standards for new construction specify that corrugated pipe may be used only within the first 8 feet and may not be concealed within construction and this is recommended for fire safety reasons. The concealed ducts should be rigid metal ducts or equivalent, vented to the exterior of the home. First Call Home Inspections recommends smooth metal pipe, with no screws at joints and well supported.

It has been reported that there are approximately 20,000 dryer related fires each year due to use of unapproved materials and poor connection techniques.

[wsiegel]

Underwriters Laboratories standards 560 and 2158 for clothes dryers require that all dryers listed must specify all metal dryer venting unless otherwise tested. A UL 181 label does not apply to dryer venting. Underwriters Laboratories Inc., an independent testing agency that helps set national safety standards, requires that dryer manufacturers
"include explicit instructions specifying that only rigid or flexible metal duct should be used for exhausting, unless the appliance has been investigated for use with nonmetallic duct."

Maytag and other major dryer manufacturers recommend against the use of plastic flexible duct.
Although plastic flexible duct (cheap and easy to install) might seem like just the thing for exhausting a dryer, it isn't. This type of exhaust duct, which resembles a plastic-covered slinky toy, is not recommended for several reasons.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission estimates there are 24,000 clothes dryer fires each year in the United States, amounting to $96,000,000 in estimated property damage. Lack of maintenance is the leading cause of dryer fires, and LINT is the leading material to ignite. These fires can be caused by failure of mechanical and/or electrical parts within the dryer itself, improper materials being put into the dryer, and insufficient airflow as a result of improper installation.
Clothes dryers can be a source of home fires. Be sure to check your dryer vent and vent hose regularly for lint accumulation. Lint is an excellent source of ignition for a fire. Vents should be made of rigid metal, because flexible vents can be damaged by heat, age and contact with other objects. All vents need to discharge directly to the home’s exterior.
SAFE USE OF HOUSEHOLD CLOTHES DRYERS

• North American-style household clothes dryers are required by manufacturers to be vented to the outdoors using a short length of rigid or flexible metal ducting. Manufacturers recommend that the maximum length of the metal ducting, which varies depending on the number of bends, should not be exceeded. This is clearly stated in the manufacturers installation instructions and the appliances are certified according to this requirement.
• It is strongly recommended that plastic ducting not be used. Plastic ducts often collapse causing blockage and lint build up within the dryer. This type of plastic ducting can ignite or melt and will not contain a fire within the dryer

[Keith Swift, PhD.]

The following narrative, prints automatically in all of my reports. (Of course, I can turn it off when necessary).
Faulty dryer vents have been responsible for thousands of fires, hundreds of injuries, and even deaths. The best vents are a smooth-walled metal type that travels a short distance; all other types should be regarded as suspect, and should be inspected bi-annually to ensure that they do not contain trapped lint or moisture.
Regardless, I identify and comment on very dryer vent, including where it discharges.

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by kswift

The following narrative, prints automatically in all of my reports. (Of course, I can turn it off when necessary).
Faulty dryer vents have been responsible for thousands of fires, hundreds of injuries, and even deaths. The best vents are a smooth-walled metal type that travels a short distance; all other types should be regarded as suspect, and should be inspected bi-annually to ensure that they do not contain trapped lint or moisture.
Regardless, I identify and comment on very dryer vent, including where it discharges.

I like it, but I would probably rewrite the first sentence thusly so that you don't have to check on the statistics and change "hundreds of injuries" to "thousands of injuries" when the time comes (think McDonalds--no longer is it "84 billion hamburgers served"--just "billions of hamburgers served"):

Faulty dryer vents and improper installations have been responsible for fires, injuries, and deaths in our homes.

Or something like that.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

A few things to know;

http://fixitnow.com/appliantology/dr...t_ultimate.htm

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5022.html

http://www.dryerbox.com/dryer_venting_guide.htm

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ha_ins...277638,00.html

Marcel