Installing a vented tumble dryer / Ducting

[diyer2011]

Hi All,
Just wondering if anyone could help me, I'm wanting to put a tumble dryer in my cellar but I've a few queries;

1) Firstly, whether I'll be able to put the outlet where I want. See pictures (and excuse the mess on the inside, I'm tending to the cellar next); as you view the house from the front I'm thinking of putting the vent to the right of the middle airbrick (a bit to the right of the mill stone so I don't hit the corner of the inner wall). I'm thinking this makes most sense in terms of not compromising the strength of the wall. Could anyone comment? And also advise the best way to drill the hole?
I was planning on going from the outside to the inside with a core drill.


2)Also the vent will be above tumble dryer height, everything I've read advises to keep the vent on the outside the same height as the outlet of the tumble dryer indoors. This isn't possible, is there any practical problem with this?

Pictures:

Thanks in advance[/img]

 

[muggles]

Your proposed location looks OK and a core drill is the best tool for the job, however the reason for keeping the vent level is a rising vent will fill up with water fairly quickly caused by condensation from the dryer.

You'd be much better off buying a condensing tumble dryer that doesn't need a vent to outside

 

[diyer2011]

Your proposed location looks OK and a core drill is the best tool for the job, however the reason for keeping the vent level is a rising vent will fill up with water fairly quickly caused by condensation from the dryer.

You'd be much better off buying a condensing tumble dryer that doesn't need a vent to outside

Thanks for that, would it be enough water to be problematic?

The reason I wanted to avoid a condensing boiler was because I was concerned about adding anymore moisture to the air down there, I figured a vented one would remove it from the equation and be healthier.

 

[muggles]

A condensing dryer won't kick out any moisture into your cellar, that's kind of the point of them...

 

[RF Lighting]

Why is there a disconnected earth wire floating around in your second photo?

 

[calorific]

Why is there a disconnected earth wire floating around in your second photo?

Maybe he discovered that that plastic Christmas tree didn't need cross bonding after all

 

[diyer2011]

A condensing dryer won't kick out any moisture into your cellar, that's kind of the point of them...

The buying guides I've read all said they need to be in a well ventilated room.
Which say bad ones can kick out damp and pose a potential mildew risk
http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-gar...buy-the-best-tumble-dryer/tumble-dryer-types/

I'm terrified of introducing rot to my cellar as neighbours have had real issues with it, but I've no experience with condenser tumble dryers. Is that out-dated advice?

 

[diyer2011]

Why is there a disconnected earth wire floating around in your second photo?

Hadn't noticed that! I'll check it out.

Thought people would comment on the random plank with the bared earth wire running down it in the last photo or the many seemingly pointless wires ran through the air brick if anything...

Only just took real notice of this after taking the pictures! Sorting the cellar's just moved up a notch or two on my to do list...

 

[diyer2011]

Oh yeah, I had noticed the earth cable before, it's just a small roll of spare cable.

 

[diyer2011]

Can anyone advise or point me to somewhere with more detailed info on dryers?
Thanks

 

[JohnD]

A vented tumble drier can get condensation in the hose if the hose is in a cold place. Your cellar will ptobably not be especially cold, and the tumble drier will warm it up to some extent. I get none in mine, which is in an unheated utility room. In a loft, I would usually suggest flopping loft insulation over the hose.

I recently changed my drier, and the makers (Siemens) suggested making a small drainage hole at the lowest point of the hose in the event of any condensation to drain out. There may be a fitting for that. Have a look at the installation instructions for yours.

Based on my own experience I would not really be concerned. You can wrap the hose in insulation of you want, the space blanket stuff with a wrapping of silvered plastic would be cleanest in use.

If there is any horizontal run to your exhaust hose, it is preferable to run that in soil pipe (which is smooth on the inside) with a slight fall to the external vent, so that any condensation in that part will drain outside. Soil pipe and extractor duct is the same size.

BTW condensing driers do emit a certain amount of moisture, so they are able to make the room damp, which vented driers don't, and they actually cause a certain amount of fresh air to be drawn into their room.

 

[diyer2011]

A vented tumble drier can get condensation in the hose if the hose is in a cold place. Your cellar will ptobably not be especially cold, and the tumble drier will warm it up to some extent. I get none in mine, which is in an unheated utility room. In a loft, I would usually suggest flopping loft insulation over the hose.

I recently changed my drier, and the makers (Siemens) suggested making a small drainage hole at the lowest point of the hose in the event of any condensation to drain out. There may be a fitting for that. Have a look at the installation instructions for yours.

Based on my own experience I would not really be concerned. You can wrap the hose in insulation of you want, the space blanket stuff with a wrapping of silvered plastic would be cleanest in use.

If there is any horizontal run to your exhaust hose, it is preferable to run that in soil pipe (which is smooth on the inside) with a slight fall to the external vent, so that any condensation in that part will drain outside. Soil pipe and extractor duct is the same size.

BTW condensing driers do emit a certain amount of moisture, so they are able to make the room damp, which vented driers don't, and they actually cause a certain amount of fresh air to be drawn into their room.

That's fantastic, thanks John. Will get it purchased and tools hired!
The manual for the tumble dryer I'm looking at itself doesn't actually mention vent pipe elevation at all and what's more on the diagram it's installed above the tumble dryer's height, so at least if there are any issues I may get some support from them.

 

[David937]

Our tumble dryer used to be vented with a hose going up and out the window in a fairly cold unheated room, never had an issue with condensation, it seemed to just blow out the hose. It is now vented in a more permanent way with plastic ducting.