Common Home Inspection Repairs- Indoor Dryer Vent

It's very important to vent your dryer to the exterior of your house, and maintain the ducts so that lint doesn't build up. Here are a few good reasons:

1. Lint build up could lead to a fire
2. A clogged dryer vent may make your dryer less efficient and take longer to dry clothes

3. A missing or incorrectly installed dryer vent will release moisture that could cause mold and other problems

4. A dryer vent keeps your laundry room cleaner by directing lint outside

The house I was working at this week had a dryer vent, but it was an indoor dryer vent. You're supposed to fill it with water to trap the lint while the warm air goes into the room. These are notorious for being inadequate and I've seen tons of homes with them that were full of lint because the homeowner's forgot to keep water in them.

My advice: stay away from indoor dryer vents. It's worth the trouble to put in an exterior one.

Home inspectors tend to agree as was the case for this weeks project. The fix involved using a masonry chisel to cut a hole through the brick for a dryer vent. Then, I could make a hole through the rim joist and side the venting kit tube right through to the basement.

The vent cover attaches nicely with a few Tapcon screws and gets a little silicone caulk to discourage water entry.

Fire, moisture & lint clouds: bad.

Exterior dryer vent: very good.

-Peter

www.CarpentryGuy.com