YOUR LAUNDRY AREA
Part 5: Check your dryer flue termination on a regular basis
The dryer vent hood should terminate at an exterior location so that moist, lint-laden air does not cause damage to structural framing or mechanical systems and components. Dryer flues should never terminate in a foundation crawl space (see Figure 1), in the attic (see Figure 2), or in the garage.
The vent hood itself often becomes clogged with lint, possibly causing lint to accumulate within the flue. Missing or damaged vent hoods or vent screens at exterior locations (see Figure 3) can allow unwanted wildlife to set up home in the vent flue.
Many wildlife would be quite happy if they found a nice, warm hole full of nice, soft lint.
Wildlife blockage in the flue can also cause lint to accumulate in it, possibly causing a lint fire or a flue fire, or causing the dryer to overheat, resulting in a dryer fire.
All vent hood terminations should include a damper. However, if lint accumulates in the flue, the damper can become stuck open, again allowing unwanted wildlife to use the flue as its home.
Various home improvement stores sell protective devices (see Figure 4) that can be installed over the dryer vent hood to provide better protection against damage and wildlife intrusion.
An accumulation of lint, either in the foundation crawl space (see Figure 1), the attic (see Figure 2), the roof (see Figure 5), or in the flue itself (see Figure 6) typically indicates that the dryer is being used without the manufacturer’s lint screen in place.
Yes, it is inconvenient to clean that darn lint screen each time you dry your clothes, but there’s a reason why it is part of your dryer, and it should not be permanently removed. Keeping that lint screen in place and keeping it clean will lead to faster drying times for your clothes (lower utility expenses) and a longer life expectancy for your dryer; will help prevent lint fires, flue fires, and dryer fires due to overheating; and will prevent lint accumulating in unseen areas like the foundation crawl space and attic, thereby causing other problems.
Little things that take only a minute or so to do can help prevent major expenses or major disasters (property damage or personal injury), so use that lint screen. It’s designed for a purpose, which is to help protect you and your property.
Previous posts in this series:
» Part 1: Washer water supply and drainage hoses
» Part 2: Noisy water supply pipes
» Part 3: Interior washer locations and drain pans
» Part 4: Keep your dryer flues and connectors short and smooth






























Several months after close of escrow, my Clients called me wondering if I had broken something during the inspection because the water bill was so high. I didn’t even need to pull up the pictures of the property to remind me of their house. Some memories last a lifetime.