Clothes Dryer exhaust: CO poison?

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Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,422
8
81
If you have to pay for your laundry services, do not let him do this.

Hell, do not let him do it period..

If the dryer is allowed to exhaust into the same room the dryer is in.. It takes a very, very long time for the clothes to dry.

You will have to leave the door open. It will take 3-4x longer to dry if the room is enclosed. If you leave the door open.. I'd say you'll be lucky if it only takes 1.5x.

We have to open our utility room door and stick the exhaust outside to run the dryer. If the door accidentally gets shut by wind or whatnot, that is exactly what happens.

Plus everything in the room gets damp.
 

soydios

Platinum Member
Mar 12, 2006
2,708
0
0
Originally posted by: Sukhoi
I would not be comfortable with that. Get the city involved if the landlord won't do anything. That can't be up to code.

/thread
 

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,930
7
81
It's a Fire Hazard. All that lint is just plain bad. CO2 isn't an issue unless the thing is malfunctioning.
 

Analog

Lifer
Jan 7, 2002
12,755
3
0
That's a stupid idea. Just because the dryer is okay now, what if it malfunctions later? And who says elevated levels of CO2 is okay, if O2 is depleted. Try putting a plastic bag over your head and see if that'll be okay.... I personally wouldn't put up with it.
 

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
6
81
A half-assed solution would be to buy the tubing at Home Depot or whatever, and just run it from the dryer out an open window when you're actually using the thing, and coil it up when you're not.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
96,154
15,772
126
It's against building code and fire code. Just call the city on him
 

GeekDrew

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2000
9,100
13
81
Originally posted by: Citrix
Originally posted by: GeekDrew
In the winter, having an electric dryer venting inside feels awesome.

might feel good but its very very bad for your house. way too much moisture and huge mold problem.

Landlord is a dumbass

I don't recall saying that it was a good idea. I said that it feels awesome in the winter.
 

redly

Golden Member
Nov 15, 2004
1,159
0
0
I bet if you put some plants in the laundry room, with a grow light, they'd grow like a mofo
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,862
84
91
setting himself up for major liability issues
even if not killed, co has health effects from poisoning.
 

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,892
2,135
126
Originally posted by: Deleted member 4644
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Carbon monoxide will be produced by incomplete combustion. If the flames are predominately blue, you're getting CO2 not CO. When you have yellow tips, there is insufficient primary combustion air (blocked venturi/eductor/mixer etc. OR insufficient oxygen in the laundry room! -DANGER).

A normally functioning gas drier (LPG or NG) will just add put out CO2, heat (duh!) and water vapor. It also needs make up air so if the room is too "tight" you run the risk of lowered O2 levels and THAT will produce CO; which can be lethal.

Thx, this is the answer I wanted. The dryers are new, so they are prolly working OK. But it still seems dangerous.

It's not. They even sell vents with filters that you can attach to your dryer exhaust to heat your laundry room/basement/whatever. The danger of lint combustion is a lot greater than CO poisoning.
 

NL5

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
3,287
12
81
Originally posted by: nweaver
It's a gas dryer, so there are 2 vents, one out the top (for combustion gasses) and out the back (for the heated air, that is not the combusted gas, and has lots of water vapor in it)

If it's the first, demand they fix it, or call the local fire inspector/find a new house to rent, that is a SERIOUS issue.

If it's the second, don't worry too much, as it'll rot that house that you don't own out.



I was waiting for someone with some sense to answer. This is the CORRECT answer.

The combustion exhaust goes out a different vent than the dryer air vent.


 

pradeep1

Golden Member
Jun 4, 2005
1,099
1
81
If it is a gas dryer, then it should have an external exhaust in case it is not combusting properly.
 

Sphexi

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2005
7,280
0
0
There's a difference between the exhaust from the burning of the gas to heat the drier, which would be piped outside, and the "exhaust" or warm air from the drier itself. That air is perfectly safe, although it'll smell funky. You can actually buy kits to put inline in the pipe going outside to funnel the warm air into the room for extra heat, just gotta make sure you filter out the lint.
 

NoShangriLa

Golden Member
Sep 3, 2006
1,652
0
0
The moisture should be keep down to a minimum if the building have an air handler (active ventilation), however it is not a good idea to vent burnt gas or water into the building.

IMHO, it is better to relocate to avoid potential health hazard.

 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,127
5,657
126
Originally posted by: NL5
Originally posted by: nweaver
It's a gas dryer, so there are 2 vents, one out the top (for combustion gasses) and out the back (for the heated air, that is not the combusted gas, and has lots of water vapor in it)

If it's the first, demand they fix it, or call the local fire inspector/find a new house to rent, that is a SERIOUS issue.

If it's the second, don't worry too much, as it'll rot that house that you don't own out.



I was waiting for someone with some sense to answer. This is the CORRECT answer.

The combustion exhaust goes out a different vent than the dryer air vent.

Figured as much. I don' know anything about Gas Dryers, but I was 98% sure that they didn't use the exhaust of burnt gas to blow through your clothes.
 

Superself

Senior member
Jun 7, 2001
688
0
76
Originally posted by: sandorski
Originally posted by: NL5
Originally posted by: nweaver
It's a gas dryer, so there are 2 vents, one out the top (for combustion gasses) and out the back (for the heated air, that is not the combusted gas, and has lots of water vapor in it)

If it's the first, demand they fix it, or call the local fire inspector/find a new house to rent, that is a SERIOUS issue.

If it's the second, don't worry too much, as it'll rot that house that you don't own out.



I was waiting for someone with some sense to answer. This is the CORRECT answer.

The combustion exhaust goes out a different vent than the dryer air vent.

Figured as much. I don' know anything about Gas Dryers, but I was 98% sure that they didn't use the exhaust of burnt gas to blow through your clothes.

NOT ALL GAS DRYERS HAVE THIS!

I have a 2 year old gas dryer (Kenmore) that vents everything through one exhaust.

Not sure what you mean by burnt gas exhaust blowing through your clothes...it is an EXHAUST, so the by products go out with the lint, etc....

 

smack Down

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
4,507
0
0
Originally posted by: Fritzo
Originally posted by: Deleted member 4644
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Carbon monoxide will be produced by incomplete combustion. If the flames are predominately blue, you're getting CO2 not CO. When you have yellow tips, there is insufficient primary combustion air (blocked venturi/eductor/mixer etc. OR insufficient oxygen in the laundry room! -DANGER).

A normally functioning gas drier (LPG or NG) will just add put out CO2, heat (duh!) and water vapor. It also needs make up air so if the room is too "tight" you run the risk of lowered O2 levels and THAT will produce CO; which can be lethal.

Thx, this is the answer I wanted. The dryers are new, so they are prolly working OK. But it still seems dangerous.

It's not. They even sell vents with filters that you can attach to your dryer exhaust to heat your laundry room/basement/whatever. The danger of lint combustion is a lot greater than CO poisoning.

Those devices are for use only with electric dryers.
 

Analog

Lifer
Jan 7, 2002
12,755
3
0
Originally posted by: NL5
Originally posted by: nweaver
It's a gas dryer, so there are 2 vents, one out the top (for combustion gasses) and out the back (for the heated air, that is not the combusted gas, and has lots of water vapor in it)

If it's the first, demand they fix it, or call the local fire inspector/find a new house to rent, that is a SERIOUS issue.

If it's the second, don't worry too much, as it'll rot that house that you don't own out.



I was waiting for someone with some sense to answer. This is the CORRECT answer.

The combustion exhaust goes out a different vent than the dryer air vent.

BULL.

We have a relatively new GAS dryer with a single vent. And it goes outside, thanks.
 

91TTZ

Lifer
Jan 31, 2005
14,374
1
0
Originally posted by: Deleted member 4644
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Carbon monoxide will be produced by incomplete combustion. If the flames are predominately blue, you're getting CO2 not CO. When you have yellow tips, there is insufficient primary combustion air (blocked venturi/eductor/mixer etc. OR insufficient oxygen in the laundry room! -DANGER).

A normally functioning gas drier (LPG or NG) will just add put out CO2, heat (duh!) and water vapor. It also needs make up air so if the room is too "tight" you run the risk of lowered O2 levels and THAT will produce CO; which can be lethal.

Thx, this is the answer I wanted. The dryers are new, so they are prolly working OK. But it still seems dangerous.

Prolly? What is prolly?
 

911paramedic

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2002
9,450
1
76
REALLY bad idea.

At the least, like everybody else has stated, you are going to end up with a mold problem. At the worst, somebody will end up with an old/broken dryer and it will put out CO, killing somebody.

No way that is up to code. Call the local building inspector or the buildings owner.
 

Mark R

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
8,513
14
81
You have 2 problems here:
1 - potential for CO buildup
2 - condensation damage to the building

1 - gas driers may or may not have a seperate vent for the combustion gases. However, they would usually route the combustion gas outside. It *may* be acceptable to vent the combustion gases indoors if there is *guaranteed* minimum ventilation in the vicinity of the drier and the room is of a specified minimum size (e.g. it's OK for a gas range to vent its combustion gases indoors - but there are strict building codes on minimum ventilation and size of room, etc.)

There are 2 ways in which you can get CO build-up. You can get it from a malfunctioning or badly set-up gas burner (even very minor maladjustment can produce dangerous CO levels). However, you can also get it if there is inadequate ventilation; there have been cases of fatal CO poisoning caused by people blocking up permanent ventilation grilles in a room with a furnace or other gas burner.

If there is any reluctnace to do anything by the landlord - get a CO detector immediately (you should be able to buy one from any local supermarket today - round here CO detector stickers are about $5. Just stick it on the wall. If CO is detected the sticker changes from pink to black permanently), and install it in the laundry room.

2 - this is really the landlord's problem, as the moisture and condensation will wreck his building. However, he may claim that damage due to mold and condensation may be, at least partially, attribuatble to you not opening windows/doors, etc. In which case, you've got an awkard situation over who pays for the damage.

Quite apart from damage - you will also end up with bigger energy bills, because the clothes won't dry in a hot humid environment.

Write to the landlord - tell him you don't think that the dryer is safe because of CO/condensation issues - and that you cannot use it. The lease includes the use of a dryer, which you currently don't have, and you are therefore deducting $25 a month from the rent until it is fixed, or until he gives written confirmation that it is safe (in particular safe from CO buildup), and that you will not be liable for any damage caused by excessive condensation/mold.

In the very unlikely event that he does write to you telling you it is safe, I still wouldn't take his word for it. However, you would have cast iron proof of gross negligance that you could present to a local buildings inspector.
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,127
5,657
126
Originally posted by: Superself
Originally posted by: sandorski
Originally posted by: NL5
Originally posted by: nweaver
It's a gas dryer, so there are 2 vents, one out the top (for combustion gasses) and out the back (for the heated air, that is not the combusted gas, and has lots of water vapor in it)

If it's the first, demand they fix it, or call the local fire inspector/find a new house to rent, that is a SERIOUS issue.

If it's the second, don't worry too much, as it'll rot that house that you don't own out.



I was waiting for someone with some sense to answer. This is the CORRECT answer.

The combustion exhaust goes out a different vent than the dryer air vent.

Figured as much. I don' know anything about Gas Dryers, but I was 98% sure that they didn't use the exhaust of burnt gas to blow through your clothes.

NOT ALL GAS DRYERS HAVE THIS!

I have a 2 year old gas dryer (Kenmore) that vents everything through one exhaust.

Not sure what you mean by burnt gas exhaust blowing though your clothes...it is an EXHAUST, so the by products go out with the lint, etc....

Oh, hehe. Didn't even consider a single exhaust.
 

JC

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2000
5,825
61
91
Here's the bottom line, 10yrs experience-wise:

Gas dryers MUST be vented to the outside. There's only one external vent on a dryer, that's where the combustion gases and lint go.

Electric dryers MAY be vented indoors, but there's still the lint/condensation problems.
 
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