Electric Dryer Venting

[Mike Lamb]

A couple of electric dryer instructions I have read say their dryer must be vented outdoors.

From Whirlpool:

WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire, this dryer MUST BE

EXHAUSTED OUTDOORS.

Why is it less of a fire hazard to vent it outside?

[Mike Lamb]

I'll assume it's because of lint build-up and back-up. If so. Are there any studies to support the increased fire risk?

I could not find anything in the CPSC.

[kurt]

Various electric dryer venting options utilize components that could be considered "filters". I know you've seen the "jug" in condos; I've seen them where they're backed up and nonventing.

After that, I sure corporate had their attorneys put defensible language in the instructions.

[hausdok]

There is in fact a CPSC paper.

I've seen it but I don't think I ever downloaded it. If I did, it's on one of the four hard drives taken out of old computers I've discarded, that are sitting on a shelf five feet from me, where I have no idea how to get it.

It's a study done over a four year period that showed that there were over 15,000 fires a year in the US caused by clothes dryer ducts and lint. The last time I found it was years ago. I probably googled CPSC dryer duct lint fires. I remember that the document was buried way way down the list because Uncle Sam doesn't really care about search engine placement and I'd spent an hour or two weeding through crap to find it.

Also search for "Gas Appliance Manufacturers Dispute CPSC Dryer Duct Findings" I remember a paper put out by the manufacturers where they tried to pick apart the CPSC paper.

Alternatively, you could just pick up the phone and call CPSC and ask for someone there to help you.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Eric B]

I can envision small fire in the vent that would not burn through the vent itself but would discharge ignited lint.

[Mike Lamb]

This was a 20+ yr old electric dryer in a downtown high-rise venting into a lint bucket. There was lint caked all over, peeling paint in its closet and adjacent kitchen, and signs of scorching inside. Bad, bad, bad.

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[kurt]

Yeah, exactly. That's (what me and my buds call) a jug. I've seen them mashed, filled up, and nonventing.

And, I think it's 14,000 fires annually. That's what they say on the Farmer's Insurance TV commercial anyway.

I'm not aware of a differentiation between gas fired and electric, though.

[hausdok]

Yeah,

Had one of those water trap lint catchers in my apartment in Colorado Springs when I was stationed there. Catches lint pretty good but the whole apartment was damp every time we used the dryer and in the winter you culdn't see out of the windows 'cuz they'd get all iced up.

ONE TEAM -ONE FIGHT!!!

[Eric B]

Put the fire potential on the side and consider the chemicals that are found in detergents, softeners and bleaches. This is stuff you don't want to be pumping into your home's indoor environment. Don't even bother checking to see what's in those products - it's generally not listed.

[kurt]

Good point. I had a chemist friend explain to me that aromatics, the crap that gives Febreeze and everything else their wonder aroma are toxic enough to kill a city. One drop, undiluted could poison a municipal water supply.

So, probably best to not aerosolize it and send it into baby's room.....