Home clothes dryer vent lets cold in

Hi,

Our clothes dryer vent has a recommended outside louvered cover, the type with 4 horizontal flaps. The louvers are clear, close properly, and work well. The pipe from the dryer to the wall is only 6" long. The exterior cover is well caulked underneath, and the inside of the vent opening is well sealed.

In the winter (now!) the cold air still enters the dryer when it's not in use, and the cold radiates from the dryer sides and bottom. Is there anything I can do to stop the cold from entering? Other than installing an open/close "valve" on the vent, which is not feasible and would be dangerous, I can think of nothing.

Thanks,

Dougie

Reply to
Dugie
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Try one of the inside/outside valves. When the flap is switched so the drier vents inside, it will block incoming air. Once some lint builds up, it may seal even better.

Come to think of it, lint buildup may be preventing the louvers closing all the way. Have you cleaned it lately.

A longer vent pipe that loops up and back down will form a sort of trap for the cold air (like an upsidedown P trap). If your drier vent opening is lower than the wall vent, cold air will fall into the drier.

Reply to
PipeDown

The best defense might be to close the door to the laundry room.

Reply to
CJT

I got a type of outside vent, that has a big plactic float that drops dowm to seal automaticly, its not perfect but it is the best I could find.

Reply to
m Ransley

I just installed one of these dryer vents on a clients kitchen exhaust.

6" vent on a huge overhead exhaust hood. She was stuffing rags in the flapper that was there originally because these was an actual wind that would come out of the vent. When she wanted to use the hood she had to run outside and remove the rags. I found these on the net. At first I was skeptical but the more I looked at it and thought about it I had one of those "why didn't I think of this" moments.
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works very well. Not a hint of a draft. We ordered two and the next one goes on her dryer. Richard
Reply to
spudnuty

Yes Spudnutty, that is what I have the Baticdoor, it works, it must be cleaned of lint once in a while and painted if sun hits it or the plastic will deteriorate. But it is the only thing I saw , its design seals out drafts, but a bit of cold air comes in through convection of the plastic. Mine is 3 years old. got it a Menards.

Reply to
m Ransley

Thanks to all who offered suggestions. I didn't realize there were so many solutions. :-) The situation is easily solvable.

Dugie

Reply to
Dugie

As others have suggested--most of the time the problem is a build up of lint that prevents the louvers from closing completely. Every once in a while I have to take a sharp point and dig the lint out of the hinge points to stop the cold air from getting into the dryer. MLD

Reply to
MLD

Hey, this thing looks good. Does anyone know if a similar thing is available for a 3 1/4 x 10 rectangular duct that comes out of our kitchen exhaust vent? I can't easily change that to any other ducting configuration.

Ken

Reply to
Ken

We don't have a laundry room. :-( Too bad - It would make a great cold room for veggies, wine and beer.

Dugie

Reply to
Dugie

Thanks, but I've done that, and do it frequently.

Dugie

Reply to
Dugie

Wouldn't a single flapper for the outside vent seal better than those multiple slats?

Unless you have a high efficiency furnace/boiler with outside air supply, did you ever think that maybe your heating system is not getting enough air and is sucking it in through the dryer vent?

Reply to
David Efflandt

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