how to vent an electric dryer when outdoors isn't option

Question

We have a building on the 3rd floor of a 4 floor building that we are building a loft in, It is in an historic area, we are in the middle of the block downtown. size 21'wide x 180'long, left and right walls are 18" of brick with plaster overlay. venting through the roof isn't an option. do they make a ul rated dryer lint box or can a vented electric dryer be vented to a converter of sorts to stay in code for indoors. I am at a cross roads I have a brand new electric washer and dryer I bought a year ago. I cannot take it back and I am trying to find a way to complete this project so the building inspector will let us move in. Do you have any info or options. Thanks so much

Do you have a water and electric hook up for these?? – JACK Nov 06 '19 at 23:20 — JACK, Nov 06 '19 at 23:20

score 5 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 07 '19 at 00:55

The proper answer for this, and certainly the one the building was built for, is to use a condensing dryer. This is a special dryer with a dehumidifier built in, which then overboards the recovered moisture into the drain intended for the washer.

I suppose you could do the same thing with an actual dehumdifier. If you can find a way to install it above the washer drain, almost any model will let you route a hose from its output, so the bucket never fills up. Some dehumidifiers also have a water pump to push the drain water uphill if needed.

You can even get condensing dryers which capture the water and thus don’t need drain access. — Moo, Nov 07 '19 at 04:47

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 08 '19 at 01:30

Although 18" of brick would be difficult to drill thru, it can be done. Check your local listings for a company which cuts/drills concrete. I have had a local company drill thru 12" of concrete block with 6" of natural stone veneer. With the proper bits and drills, it should be doable for a pro; however, it will NOT be cheap. My 4" hole cost me $300, but it was money well spent. Trying to chisel and break thru would have been near impossible and would have looked terrible. Good luck!

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 07 '19 at 03:11

You can use a lint trap/condensing box if you want to.

Dryer lint trap picture

It is messy, and doesn't work particularly well, and you'll wind up heating up your apartment in the summer, but it does work.

I used one for 8+ years.

Condensing dryers work much better.

score 1 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 16 '20 at 10:07

Window

My dryer originally vented indoors, which was OK (except for the lint) in winter and horrible in the summer. I moved the dryer in order to be able to vent it out through a window. I cut a piece of plywood to replace a section of the window and cut a hole in that for the vent.

Obviously if there is no window in that room then it gets a little harder to do this, but according to this web site on dryer vent safety, you can potentially go as far as 35 feet.

how to vent an electric dryer when outdoors isn't option

4 Answers4

Window