Thread: Dryer venting to garage

Hello Fellow Inspectors,

I just inspected a home that had a car port converted to a garage. Several issues, but the one I would like help on is concerning the dryer vent. It is venting into the garage, that was once an "outside" car port.

The agent asked me "when (year) was the requirement that dryer vents be vented to the exterior?"

I told her I didn't know, but I would ask around. I also told her I would still recommend that it is corrected and dryer venting routed to the exterior, using proper materials. Thanks in advance for your time.
The home was built in 1979.

Originally Posted by Dave Hill

Hello Fellow Inspectors,

I just inspected a home that had a car port converted to a garage. Several issues, but the one I would like help on is concerning the dryer vent. It is venting into the garage, that was once an "outside" car port.

The agent asked me "when (year) was the requirement that dryer vents be vented to the exterior?"

I told her I didn't know, but I would ask around. I also told her I would still recommend that it is corrected and dryer venting routed to the exterior, using proper materials. Thanks in advance for your time.
The home was built in 1979.

The year is a moot point. It was a carport converted into a garage so it changed the original design of the home. Did they get a permit to covert the carport into a garage? I doubt they did....

Just report that the dryer is venting into the garage and it should vent to the exterior of the home. Agent will next pull the "Grandfather" card... If this happens ask the agent to show where "Grandfathering" is allowed. It's real estate agent folklore...

Originally Posted by Dave Hill

The agent asked me "when (year) was the requirement that dryer vents be vented to the exterior?"

Since they started writing instructions for clothes dryers. Seriously.

Thank you guys! Yep, pretty much what I was thinking.

Not only is it a dryer venting issue but a CO and fire separation issue since it is now a garage.
This makes it a safety issue that needs to be corrected before someone dies. Death does not read dates in the code books!

Jim wins the cigar.

The CO/fire barrier trumps dryer installation instructions, permits and agents.

No way should you be breathing in the vaporized chemicals used in detergents and softeners. This is a health issue that agents may not be considering.

Originally Posted by Eric Barker

No way should you be breathing in the vaporized chemicals used in detergents and softeners. This is a health issue that agents may not be considering.

Naaaaaaaaaaaa... Almost as good as that New Car Smell. The off-gassing of the plastics and adhesives is the best.

Whenever an agent asks 'when was that required' in their snooty sort of way, I tell them 'I don't know, I don't care'. This set up is bad, dangerous, etc. Whatever the case may be.
Sometimes I do actually remember a year and I'll say so. The 'when' question is just BS from the agent trying to make whatever you are talking about seem like no big deal.
You see it, you write it. As far as 'when' that's hourly research time above and beyond the HI fee.

Originally Posted by Markus Keller

Whenever an agent asks 'when was that required' in their snooty sort of way, I tell them 'I don't know, I don't care'. This set up is bad, dangerous, etc. Whatever the case may be.
Sometimes I do actually remember a year and I'll say so. The 'when' question is just BS from the agent trying to make whatever you are talking about seem like no big deal.
You see it, you write it. As far as 'when' that's hourly research time above and beyond the HI fee.

Another way to address it is that when appliances are installed, they are to be installed to the code at the time of the appliance's installation (not the time or code of construction of the building), thus, unless the appliance is really, really, really old ... the answer would be "long before THAT appliance was installed."

Not only does the code address the installation of appliances, the manufacturer's address the installation of their appliances, and the two are typically almost the same (with the code deferring to the installation instructions as long as the installation instructions do not violate the code, in which case the code takes precedence).

Thus, the manufacturer may actually have more restrictive requirements that what most people remember being in the code - another reason to have the installation instructions there.

If the installation instructions are not there, an expanded answer could include: "I can answer your question when you locate and provide the installation instructions for that appliance." (it's their job, not yours, to provide the installation instructions as they asked the question and the answer will be in the installation instructions).