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  1. #1
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    May 2020
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    Default Dryer and water heater question

    This is the closet that houses my gas hot water heater. The tube to the rear opens into the attic and the open bottom is about ten inches from the floor. The pipe in front also vents into the attic.

    Just to the left is a wall and on the other side is my clothes dryer. The builder (circa 1998) put the dryer vent line through the concrete slab: 30 feet to the outside with six bends from dryer to outside vent. Terribly inefficient and I want to remedy it.

    From the picture below, I want to move the pipe in the rear to just in front of the shorter pipe.

    I then want to run the dryer vent pipe through the wall and up through the ceiling into the attic (where the rear pipe is shown in the picture. I then want to install a quality dryer booster fan onto the dryer vent pipe and run the remaining pipe through the roof with a vent cap.

    Is there any problem with this plan? Can the dryer vent pipe be in the same room as the water heater? Is this a job I can do myself, or would the building code require a plumber for the piping, electrician for the fan, roofer for the vent cap?

    Thanks.

    htr.JPG

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Fletcher, NC
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    28,042

    Default Re: Dryer and water heater question

    Quote Originally Posted by henry thomas View Post
    This is the closet that houses my gas hot water heater. The tube to the rear opens into the attic and the open bottom is about ten inches from the floor. The pipe in front also vents into the attic.
    Those two 'tubes' are for combustion make-up air for the gas burner. One opening should be within 12" of the ceiling (but looks like it is not, maybe it was not secured and has dropped down?) and one opening should be within 12" of the floor (that would be the one which is about 10" from the floor).

    From the picture below, I want to move the pipe in the rear to just in front of the shorter pipe.

    I then want to run the dryer vent pipe through the wall and up through the ceiling into the attic (where the rear pipe is shown in the picture.
    I would leave the existing combustion air opening in the rear where it is - running down the back corner and out of the way.

    Why not run the new dryer vent up in the corner of the room where the dryer is located?

    I then want to install a quality dryer booster fan onto the dryer vent pipe and run the remaining pipe through the roof with a vent cap.
    If the dryer duct run is not too long (review your dryer's installation instructions to make sure what maximum length dryer duct it is rated for), no booster fan is needed. Many newer dryers are rated for a 50 foot maximum exhaust duct length, including adding in the elbows as required, and adjusting for the dryer vent cap style (some dryer vent cap styles are like adding in another elbow, some create less resistance and have not 'duct length factor' to add in) - your installation instructions will state what is allowed.

    Is there any problem with this plan?
    Creates unnecessary work, which can lead to work installation issues.

    Can the dryer vent pipe be in the same room as the water heater?
    Yes ... sort of ... it looks like there already may be clearance space considerations, adding in one more dryer duct will make that even more so than it is now.

    Is this a job I can do myself, or would the building code require a plumber for the piping, electrician for the fan, roofer for the vent cap?
    Depends on your state/local requirements - contact your local building department for that answer. The work would need to meet code regardless of who put the work in.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2020
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    OK
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    Default Re: Dryer and water heater question

    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Peck View Post
    Those two 'tubes' are for combustion make-up air for the gas burner. One opening should be within 12" of the ceiling (but looks like it is not, maybe it was not secured and has dropped down?) and one opening should be within 12" of the floor (that would be the one which is about 10" from the floor).
    Jerry, thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my inquiry. Based upon your advice, I'm planning to simply vent the dryer from immediately behind the dryer through the roof. I'll enclose the vent pipe as that was my wife's objection, viz. an ugly exposed metal tube, etc.

    Thanks again.


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Near Philly, Pa.
    Posts
    1,682

    Cool Re: Dryer and water heater question

    Those MUA ducts won't work. If the air in that closet is warmer than the attic, they both will develop draft pressure venting up into the attic depressurizing the closet potentially backdrafting the most dangerous appliance in the home-a draft hood equipped water heater. You also have a 90 ell right off the hood. Designed to spill. Does that vent connector extend at least 3 feet before the vertical vent? How about a pic of the venting at the ceiling?

    Keep the fire in the fireplace.

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