Can I Run My Dryer Vent Through The Roof

Mike guertin a builder and remodeling contractor in east greenwich r i replies.

Can i run my dryer vent through the roof.

On a recent job i found the need for the dryer vent to exit out of a soffit was the only choice and this required some creative construction. The short answer to your first question is yes. The international residential code allows you to run a dryer vent through the attic but you can t terminate it there. Clothes dryers should be vented out the side of the house preferably at ground level as god intended.

The laundry is located in the middle of our home in a hall closet. The problem is that all sorts of lint and heat get pumped out into that enclosed area and makes a mess. Clothes dryers should be vented through the side of the house preferably within reach from the ground. I think the roof is a stupid spot to terminate clothes dryer vents because it s difficult to clean and it s a major contributor to ice dams.

In my home the dryer vent is set up to vent out into an enclosed back porch. These terminals need to be cleaned on a regular basis to prevent lint buildup. You can vent the dryer through the roof. As soon as i m in charge there will be no more venting of clothes dryers through the roof.

Doing so would fill your attic with warm moist air that could rot the. Dryer vents should always be vented through the side of the house and not vented through the roof and ideally the exit should be fairly close to the ground. Venting dryers to a roof termination or roof cap is very common in the south. When bath fans and clothes dryers vent through the roof they melt a bunch of snow.

Directly above the dryer there is a ventilation pipe that goes to the roof also connected to the vent in the bathroom that i could easily re route the dryer vent. The shorter the duct run the better. Difficulty cleaning dryer vent. When i m laying out an exhaust duct i look for the shortest route with the least number of turns.

When we bought our condo the home inspector said we might have trouble with the dryer vent and he sure was right. Since many laundry rooms are located in the middle of the house and so many homes are single story with easy to walk on roof slopes about 6 12 venting the dryer to the roof makes the most sense shortest run with least amount of elbows. But consider other options as well. Keeping a clean dryer vent is much easier when you can safely reach the exit.

For medium snowfall zones and or higher profile roof tiles select the larger model 486 which is as efficient but taller.