We are considering moving our washer and gas dryer to an upstairs closet. (Where 95% of the dirty laundry is generated). The closet is deep enough and is over another closet, giving me access for water, gas, power, and drain from the basement. I plan on tiling the closet floor and using a drain pan under the washer. I may even blow some insulation into the walls for sound. I will put an exhaust fan to blow heat out of the closet, when the dryer is running. My main question is venting the dryer…can I go through the roof? Can I use DVW pipe or should I use round metal duct (I have access to several sheet metal shops)? Can I vent the washer drain into the dryer vent or should I penetrate the roof again?
Is there anything else that I am missing?
Replies
Yes ,you can run it through ther roof, and I would use 4" round metal . You can purchase a roof hood and pipe at your local hardware store. Run the waste vent with 1 1/2" pvc. seperate from the dryer vent. I hope they are on the back of your house.
Every thing else sounds good to go. I've put several LRs on the second floor. They are no problem and makes things eaiser for the clothes washer.
Charlie
I would recomend against sending dryer vent through roof. The fewer possible entrances for the elements the better. I dont know where you are located but if your winter climate produces snow and or ice, a dryer vent poking through is asking for trouble. Is there an exterior wall within close proximety? That is where Id send it. Be sure to check manufacturers recomendations as to length of run for dryer vent. If running vent through unheated attic, consider wrapping 4" pipe with insulation, and pitch pipe toward exit.
As far as waste vent goes, through the roof will work, although if there is an existing vent nearby, you may want to tap into that. Again, the fewer holes through roof the better.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Skip the exhaust fan, the drier exhausts it's own heat. Use alluminum duct, bleach and natural gas exhaust create hydrocloric acid. Most important consideration when venting is shortest distance and minnimum bends - to avoid lint accumlation. Birds love to nest in drier vents so address that and also make sure your able to haul the appliances up and through all door jambs. Another thing I have had to consider is the floor pan. If you can, run a drain hose from the pan to a basement sink or open drain. If you connect the pan to the plumbing waste with a p-trap, the trap could soon dry out and you'll be wondering what that smell is, also if the washer drain backs up, it wont back up in the pan and flood the room. (I've seen it). use stainless supply hoses or change out every couple of years and the quick, single lever shutoffs
Just a thought!
I did this two houses ago as a DIY, coverting a storage area into a walk-in laundry/sewing room that was about 6' X 8'
Call me paranoid, but I don't think a pan is sufficient. It'll work for leaks that occur inside the washer...but in my experience, you'll be just as likely to get leaks from the hoses, fittings and valves. For this reason, I sealed the floor with 8 mil sheathing, wrapping up the walls about 5", and then tiled over that, sloping the floor slightly to a center drain. I didn't use a trap, but ran the pipe down a closet wall (the hardest part of the project) and snaked this laterally about 10 feet to the basement sink. In the 8 years we lived there, we never had a leak (other than small water spills), but I would do it again for the insurance of knowing that I won't flood out the floor below.
BruceM
Just a comment or 2 to add to what the others have said-
Fantech (and others) makes an in-line dryer exhaust fan for use when venting vertically or over long runs. Works pretty slick.
I agree with your thought about an exhaust fan for excess heat - tho its true that much of the heat goes out through the dryer vent, it still gets very warm and humid in a confined laundry area. Depending on the situation, you can often use a 'Y' type fitting to join 2 or more exhaust fans to avoid another roof penetration.
Good luck!
Don't forget to allow for sufficient makeup air (air for combustion) for the dryer. Start robbing the flame of oxygen and it'll start making CO big time.
We've used trap primers to keep drain traps from drying out. It's basically a pressure demand valve that taps into the washer water supply line. It squirts a little water in the trap each time the washer takes on water.
Also think about sitting the washer and dryer on rubber pads (anti-vibration pads). This will reduce the amount of noise on the second floor but will greatly reduce the noise on the first floor.
RD
This site sells dryer vents specifically designed for the roof.
I read somewhere that vertical vents allowed less distance than horizontal, and that you had to use rigid vent.
http://www.dryerbox.com
Hope this helps,