Dear Barry,
In a recent column, you said that all dryer vents must terminate outside the building. In my house, the dryer vent blows into the attic and was apparently approved by the city when the home was built, five years ago. If the dryer vent passed inspection, how can it be a problem?
- Barbara
Dear Barbara,
The municipal building inspection process is often abbreviated, owing to budgetary constraints and a shortage of departmental personnel. In fact, many building inspectors never look inside attics, and whatever building violations occur in those portions of a building are often missed.
Venting a clothes dryer into an attic is a code violation for two basic reasons:
1) Lint build-up in an attic constitutes a fire hazard.
2) Moisture condensation on attic surfaces can cause fungus, dryrot and mold.
One way or another, your dryer should be vented to the exterior. In this case, a vent opening will probably be required in the roof.
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