Is Your Dryer Vent Too Long? The Dangers of Inefficient Routing
In many homes built during the 90s and 2000s, laundry rooms were moved to the center of the house for convenience. The downside? The dryer vent had to travel 25, 30, or even 40 feet to reach an outside wall.
Manufacturer specifications typically state a maximum run length of 35 feet minus 5 feet for every 90-degree turn. If your vent goes up into the attic, turns left, goes 20 feet, and turns out the roof, it is likely effectively 45+ feet long.
Why Length Matters
Physics Problem
Your dryer blower is not powerful enough to push heavy, wet lint 40 feet. The air slows down halfway through the pipe. When the air slows, the lint drops out of suspension and settles in the duct. This creates a clog much faster than a short run.
Signs You Need to Reroute
- Hot Dryer Top: The top of the machine feels scorching to the touch.
- No Airflow Outside: When running, you barely feel a breeze at the exit hood.
- Moisture on Windows: Excess humidity is leaking into the laundry room.
- 3+ Hour Cycles: Clothes take forever to dry because the moist air has nowhere to go.
The Rerouting Solution
Our rerouting service finds the shortest, straightest path to the outdoors. Often, we can:
- Go directly through a side wall (reducing run from 30ft to 2ft).
- Upgrade flexible foil hose to rigid galvanized steel (better airflow).
- Install a booster fan for necessary long runs to maintain pressure.
Shorten the Run, Save the Dryer
Improve efficiency and safety instantly. Let us design a safer vent path for your home.
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