Venting Dryers in the Attic
Ask Danny, Attics and Basements, Interior, Safety and Security by Danny Lipford
My dryer vents into my attic. What can I do to have it vented outside to prevent lint buildup and to make it less of a fire hazard? – Cindy
Hi Cindy,
You’re right to be concerned. In addition to being against most building codes and a potential fire hazard, venting a dryer in an attic can result in moisture problems which could lead to rot or mold in your attic. Check out our video on Dryer Vent Safety for more information.
If your laundry room has access to an outside wall, cut a hole and install a standard dryer vent. Be careful you don’t cut through any studs, electrical wires, or pipes in the process. If venting outside isn’t an option, you can vent the dryer out of the attic through the roof using a special roof vent to keep rain out. When venting dryers for long distances, use rigid metal pipe with as few elbows as possible. Attach the sections together with metallic duct tape—rather than sheet metal screws—to prevent lint buildup around the protruding screw inside the pipe.
Check your dryer manual for the maximum length of pipe and number of bends allowed. It’s a good idea to make the vent pipe easily detachable in the attic to allow you to clean it from time to time. If the vent is longer than recommended, a booster vent fan can be installed in the pipe to increase the distance. To learn more, see our Dryer Vent Extension video.
3 Comments on “Venting Dryers in the Attic”
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May 28th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
This article makes sense regarding the attic, however is it OK to vent the dryer into the garage?
October 13th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
What about the lint build-up issue? I just bought a townhouse and the dryer vents out the attic. The previous ownners dryer left lint buildup in the wall part of the pipe. The laundry is in the middle of the house in the master closet.
Ben Erickson Says:October 14th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Hi Hope,
Lint build up in dryer vent pipes can definitely be a problem, and the pipe should be cleaned periodically to remove it. Check out the Dryer Vent Safety link in the article above for more information. In your case, you might need to disconnect the vent pipe in the attic and fish a dryer cleaning brush with an extension handle down it from there to be able to reach the entire length of pipe.