Insulating Dryer Vent In Attic

Sometimes such as in town homes or condos it s not possible to vent a dryer through a wall outside.

Insulating dryer vent in attic.

Cover the pipe in two to three inches of fiberglass insulation. The international residential code allows you to run a dryer vent through the attic but you can t terminate it there. Step 1 wrap pipe in insulation. Track the exhaust pipe from your dryer until it leaves the house.

Attach insulation with foil based duct tape and caulk where pipe exits the house. Insulating the duct with at least 1 in. Of fiberglass insulation will keep the duct warm during dryer operation and will minimize condensation on the duct walls. A dryer vent should be vented outside.

Either way insulation is a necessary step when installing or repairing the dryer vent pipe particularly if it passes through a basement or crawl space. 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. You may have to cut through drywall to fully expose the pipe and be able to apply insulation.

In these cases it may be necessary to vent your dryer through the attic. Secure the insulation with hvac duct tape. When venting dryers for long distances use rigid metal pipe with as few elbows as possible. This reduces the chance of the water condensing inside your house or dryer vent.

The more insulation you install the less likely you are to have condensation in the ductwork. So the air remains warm until it exits the house. Leaks and what to do about them every inch of the metal surface of the dryer vent must be protected in order for the insulation to do its job.