Dryer Vent Through Roof Or Wall

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.

Dryer vent through roof or wall.

Considering that back pressure higher than 6 wci is generally recognized as inefficient you can see that venting through the roof with non dryer specific vents is immediately problematic. If you are installing a dryer vent through a finished wall remove a small section and check to be sure you won t be cutting through any wiring plumbing or ductwork. Transfer that measurement inside if necessary to mark the new dryer vent center. Vent a dryer through the roof only as a last resort.

A roof dryer vent will require that your dryer push a gallon of water lint and hot air vertically for many feet at least 18 if you have any kind of an attic and many homes that have a roof dryer vent have 20 to 30 feet of vertical pipe. The less back pressure is created by the roof vent the more efficiently the system performs. These terminals need to be cleaned on a regular basis to prevent lint buildup. Figures a b and c show the three most common paths from the dryer to the exterior.

Additionally squirrels and birds often nest in the roof vent caps of roof dryer vent. The vent should exit the building through the roof or wall at least 3 feet away from any other building openings and the vent cover which must not include a screen should allow dispersal of. If possible position your dryer along an exterior wall to keep the vent as short as possible. Use a 4 1 4 inch hole saw to cut the vent opening.