is venting your dryer to the house O.K in winter?

[DJ]

Isn't that the point? You can't be certain something won't go wrong with the dryer and it might end up being too late by the time you find that out, or your heirs find out...

DJ

[Logan Shaw]

True, but having your head bang into the dashboard in a car isn't an issue unless something goes wrong with traffic patterns. Does that mean we should eliminate seatbelts?

Or, to put it a different way, in what percentage of dryers of the combustion proper? Is it exactly 100% without any exceptions? If not, then given that there are millions and millios of dryers in use, it seems wise to have a safety measure in place.

By the way, personally I think there are TWO problems going on when you talk about a dryer venting its air outside during the winter. One is the loss of heat since hot air is going outside. But the other problem is that since the dryer is constantly pumping air outside, that air needs to be replaced and will be replaced by outside air that makes its way into the building wherever it can get in. In other words, running the dryer makes your house more drafty, because it creates a pressure differential between inside and outside.

This second problem could be minimized by opening up the laundry room to outside air so that the cold air can come in to the laundry room only, rather than the whole house. In my own case, I sometimes do this by opening the window in the laundry room slightly, although I realize very few laundry rooms have a window...

- Logan

[HeatMan]

Please excuse the not cutting anything much, but the codes also say that a standard toggle switch, like a light switch, cannot serve as a electrical disconnect for a furnace. Do that and you won't pass the inspection....

[Beeblebrox]

hence what was said, INEFFICIENT combustion. Would you like to trust your life to your dryer's efficiency?

[HeatMan]

Stretch did it before I could. See his response...

[HeatMan]

Stretch posted the codes.

I've worked on commercial laundry equipment. I've never seen any that vent separately...

[Rod Speed]

DJ wrote

Nope.

You can be certain it wont be producing CO, they dont go wrong like that.

Neither do unvented natural gas heaters either.

It doesnt work like that. You dont get people dying like that with unvented natural gas heaters.

[Stretch]

One problem with dryers burning gas completely is that they are designed to burn gas in regular air. When you vent the dryer into the house, you use up oxygen and introduce large amounts of carbon dioxide. Now the air that you are useng to burn the gas has a different makeup. More CO2 is in the air and less oxygen. So after venting the dryer into the house for a while, the complete combustion you started with becomes incomplete combustion. So you start producing CO as well as CO2. This is why furnaces and water heaters require flues to operate.

Gee, you could just disconnect your furnace from the chimney and it would be 100% efficient and humidify the house as well. People used to do that when gas water heaters first came out. Some people were OK, some got headaches, some got sick and some died. That is where the codes came from in the first place.

If you have a big house with high infiltration rates, and you don't use the dryer much, you will probably be OK. If you have a small, tight house and use the dryer a lot, you will probably get sick or die. With all the lawyers running around in this country, why risk it. If you survive, someone else may sue you over it. Why not just play it safe and follow the code? That is what the codes are for. To protect people (like you), even from themselves.

Stretch

[Rod Speed]

Logan Shaw wrote

Useless analogy. We know that people get thrown around in car accidents and that seatbelts help dramatically.

You just dont get people dying of CO with unvented natural gas heaters.

Yes, with dying due to the CO.

No need when unvented natural gas heaters dont produce that result.

In practice the air consumption is so small that its not worth worrying about. Houses just arent that well sealed.

Its not necessary.

[Rod Speed]

Beeblebrox wrote

Yep, just like I do with unvented natural gas heaters too.

[nicksanspam]

Because codes are written by peoplew with axes to grind.

Nick

[Rod Speed]

Stretch wrote

Wrong.

Have fun explaining unvented natural gas room heaters.

Which burn much more gas than a drier does too.

Nope, those burnt coal gas, different animal entirely.

Have fun explaining unvented natural gas room heaters.

Have fun explaining unvented natural gas room heaters.

Because with unvented natural gas room heaters, its obviously not a risk or those would be banned. They arent. Because you silly little pig ignorant fantasy doesnt happen with them.

There is no code that bans unvented natural gas room heaters.

Thanks for that complete superfluous proof that you dont actually have a clue.

[Toller]

I did it for a few months. The humidity in the area was horrible. You would have to do it somewhere that the humidity did not matter or would be diffused quickly.

I had to change the pantyhose often.

[DJ]

Really? I guess the EPA, CPSC and the American Lung Assn. really don't have a clue...

Selected quotes from:

"How many people are unintentionally poisoned by CO?

Every year, over 200 people in the United States die from CO produced by fuel-burning appliances (furnaces, ranges, water heaters, room heaters). Others die from CO produced while burning charcoal inside a home, garage, vehicle or tent. Still others die from CO produced by cars left running in attached garages. Several thousand people go to hospital emergency rooms for treatment for CO poisoning. "

Never use gas appliances such as ranges, ovens, or clothes dryers for heating your home.

Never operate unvented fuel-burning appliances in any room with closed doors or windows or in any room where people are sleeping.

--------------->>

Selected quotes from:

" Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced whenever any fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal is burned. If appliances that burn fuel are maintained and used properly, the amount of CO produced is usually not hazardous. However, if appliances are not working properly or are used incorrectly, dangerous levels of CO can result. Hundreds of people die accidentally every year from CO poisoning caused by malfunctioning or improperly used fuel-burning appliances. Even more die from CO produced by idling cars. Fetuses, infants, elderly people, and people with anemia or with a history of heart or respiratory disease can be especially susceptible."

In part:

DO choose appliances that vent their fumes to the outside whenever possible, have them properly installed, and maintain them according to manufacturers? instructions.

DO read and follow all of the instructions that accompany any fuel-burning device. If you cannot avoid using an unvented gas or kerosene space heater, carefully follow the cautions that come with the device. Use the proper fuel and keep doors to the rest of the house open. Crack a window to ensure enough air for ventilation and proper fuel-burning.

DON'T sleep in any room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater.

--------------------------->>

Selected quotes from: American Lung Assn.

Nearly 300 people die every year from carbon monoxide exposure related to residential combustion appliances, and thousands of others become ill or seek medical attention.

Any fuel-burning appliance that is not adequately vented and maintained can be a potential source of CO, including:

gas appliances (furnaces, ranges, ovens, water heaters, clothes dryers, etc.) fireplaces, wood and coal stoves, space heaters charcoal grills, automobile exhaust fumes, camp stoves, gas-powered lawn mowers, and power tools

------------->>

Do whatever you want in your home with your family, personally, I wouldn't dare take the chance of running an unvented gas appliance that was designed and manufactured to be vented.

DJ

[Stretch]

Stretch wrote

Wrong.

Have fun explaining unvented natural gas room heaters.

Which burn much more gas than a drier does too.

Nope, those burnt coal gas, different animal entirely.

NO, they burned NATURAL gas, at least where I came from.

"Have fun explaining unvented natural gas room heaters. "

Instructions for unvented room heaters say to use them with a window partly open. That acts somewhat like a chimney. Same for kerosene heaters. The instructions for those also say NOT to use them while you are sleeping. (Wonder why???)

By the way, have you EVER owned or used combustion testing instruments? I notice that those who are the loudest in favor of violating codes, have never tested ANYTHING. I have used combustion test equipment many times on gas and oil burning furnaces and boilers. It is scary how many don't burn properly. Then you come along, with just an opinion and never having tested combustion, pontificating on how safe violating safety code is. go get a combustion tester and CO tester and use them on a regular basis. You will learn a thing or two.

Stretch

[Rod Speed]

DJ wrote

Nope, just you.

In fact none of those are from unvented natural gas room heaters, which might just be why they are allowed.

Completely irrelevant to what was actually being discussed.

Not from unvented natural gas room heaters they dont.

Mindless pig ignorant silly stuff that doesnt explain why unvented natural gas room heaters work fine.

Mindless pig ignorant silly stuff that doesnt explain why unvented natural gas room heaters work fine.

General waffle. Pity about unvented natural gas room heaters.

But in practice that doesnt actually happen with unvented natural gas room heaters.

But in practice that doesnt actually happen with unvented natural gas room heaters.

Irrelevant to what is being discussed.

Have fun explaining unvented natural gas room heaters.

Have fun explaining unvented natural gas room heaters.

In practice those that dont do that with unvented natural gas room heaters dont actually die like flys.

In practice those that do that with unvented natural gas room heaters dont actually die like flys.

Pity about the earlier 200 claim.

Pity about the fact that it doesnt happen with unvented natural gas room heaters.

From over eating in spades.

Mindless pig ignorant silly stuff that doesnt explain why unvented natural gas room heaters work fine.

Your pathetic neurotic hangups are your problem.

[Rod Speed]

Bullshit when the codes first showed up.

And those that dont bother dont die like flys. Funny that.

Nope, nothing like.

And those that do that anyway dont die like flys.

Mainly because of the risk of fire while asleep.

Yep.

Dont need to test anything to realise that unvented natural gas room heaters violate no code.

Irrelevant to how many use unvented natural gas room heaters and who dont bother to test anything and survive fine.

Nope, FACT that unvented natural gas room heaters are perfectly legal and work fine.

That is just YOUR pig ignorant guess which happens to be just plain wrong.

Unvented natural gas room heaters violate no code.

Go and f*ck yourself.

Not even possible for someone as stupid as you.

[Joseph Meehan]

How many dryers have a CO detector that shuts off the dryer when it gets too high??

[Joseph Meehan]

Rod Speed wrote: xxx

It appears we are feeding a troll.

[Joseph Meehan]

Ask you local fire department about people using their ovens and stoves for heating and the results.