Locate the rafters inside the soffit. This can be done by standing in the attic and locating them in the soffit. From the exterior of the home, this gives you an idea of where they are located in the soffit area. The rafters are 16 inches on center. It is important that the level of the nose is flush with the bottom edge of the fascia and the interior edge sits at the angle of the bevel.
If replacing an obsolete vent that is already in place see if the existing hole meets the specified measurements of the new soffit vent. If not, remove the old vent, close up the hole and make a new hole. If the existing ductwork is old or faded it is suggested that you buy a new one. If replacing the extension tube start by inserting it into the hold of the neck of the vent pushing it into the attic.
This will give better access to reaching it. Soffit vents are intake vents , so any air exhausted at that point will likely be sucked back up into the attic. One may also ask, how do you vent a top dryer? Slide one elbow joint on the top dryer output and one on the outside vent ; use the solid end of the joint instead of the crimped end.
Measure the distance in between. Deduct the size of an elbow joint if you need to add another corner in duct design to reach the outside vent.
A: It is never a good idea to discharge a bathroom or kitchen fan through a soffit , gable or ridge vent , or the roof itself. The most efficient way to vent bathrooms is to do so downward through a basement or crawl space and outside through the rim joists. Dundas Jafine's Soffit Dryer Vent allows for the dryer to be exhausted through the soffit panel, instead of traditional wall venting. The front damper opens when the dryer is turned on to exhaust the air and remains closed when the dryer is off, acting as a guard against pests and rodents from entering the duct.
Why are dryers vented outside? A soffit is an under-eve of a roof, usually made from wood or metal. They close in the space beneath the eaves on all four sides. This helps with insulation and prevents water from entering your home through cracks around windows and vents. You can choose between different styles of soffits for your home, depending on what you want to achieve with it. Yes, but there are some rules associated with this action. Some manufacturers do not like the idea of venting into an attic at all.
Others will provide particular guidelines. Such as installing a metal hood that terminates out through the roof somewhere to protect from condensation or specifying minimum distances from combustibles.
Be sure you have read your installation manual to verify these rules. Second, use the shortest route possible. The shorter the duct length you have, the faster the dryer will work and the more efficient. Avoid any extra bends or curves in your venting to reduce lint buildup. Straight is best. Third, if you are considering using an interior wall as part of your venting plan, please consider this:. This is because dryer vents tend to accumulate lint inside the ductwork.
If this happens, the dryer itself can become starved for air, causing it to overheat or run inefficiently. Fifth, know that condensation is something that can happen anytime moist hot air meets cooler surfaces, so even with proper installation. There may be times when your clothes feel damp after a load.
You vent a dryer through the eaves by creating a hole in the wall between your house and garage. To do this, you need either:. A fan will help pull the air through the line instead of letting natural convection draw all your heat back outside. You may have to cut down your existing vents or create them yourself with PVC pipe if they are too short of reaching up into the attic. You should also install a screen over this hole or the vents since lint will blow out of them whenever the dryer is running.
It may have been just installed on the wrong side of the wall between two rooms. If the dryer is located in a central room, you will have to assess the route to the soffit; if it involves too many turns, then it might exceed the allowable ducting length for dryers, which we discuss later on in this article.
Another drawback of venting a dryer through a soffit is that the exhausted air is warm and naturally wants to rise. So, when it is released from the termination vent, there is a high chance of backdraft with the exhausted air. To minimize the risks thereof, dryer vents are required by code to be fitted with backdraft dampers. Another drawback of venting a dryer through a soffit is that the soffit dryer exit is more difficult to clean regularly if they are on the soffits of upper stories as the vent will only be accessible with a ladder.
However, it is vital that the vent be cleaned regularly in order to prevent lint build-up and outside debris including animals and nests from collecting onto the exit. Such a build-up creates a significant fire risk. Since these soffit vents are out of sight, they are more likely to be forgotten by the homeowner and not maintained. It is important to note that soffit vents are considered to be more accessible than roof vents as long as they are not on the soffits of upper stories.
While the IRC does not prevent you from venting your dryer through the soffit, it does state clearly that a dryer may not be vented into a soffit. This can be found in IRC section M Air shall not be exhausted into an attic, soffit, ridge vent, or crawl space. The first reason is that it would cause a build-up of moisture in the soffit, walls, and attic, which can lead to structural damage, electrical damage, rust, and mold.
Furthermore, it can attract rodents and insects into your attic and lead to animal-related damage and bacterial growth. The second reason is that lint will build up in the soffit, walls, or attic, which poses a severe fire hazard for the home. Each clothes dryer is designed to be vented a certain distance, withstand particular conditions, and operate in a specific manner.
This is to ensure that the vent actually allows adequate air exhaustion and ensure proper ventilation. Dryer vents require specific ducting material and a complimentary duct size so that there is a tight fit and no leakage. Both the material and size required to make ducting a successful addendum to soffit dryer ventilation varies based on the dryer and soffit system. However, the IRC does stipulate 3 non-negotiable rules in section M A dryer vent and a bathroom fan should never share the same exhaust system.
This is stipulated in section M Exception: this section shall not apply to listed and labeled condensing ductless dryers. This legality stems partially from the differences between the two ventilation systems.
A dryer vent and another ventilation system often have different protocols. For example, dryer ducts cannot use the popular flexi duct that is often used for fans because dryers have more strict cleaning rules for regularity. Thus, if a dryer vent and another ventilation system were combined, there would be material incompatibility because the same type of ducts cannot be used for both ventilation systems and this becomes inefficient to operate.
But more importantly, this rule exists because there are significant dangers associated with combining a dryer vent with another exhaust system such as a bathroom fan. According to the IRC in section M Exhaust ducts shall be supported at intervals not to exceed 12 feet mm and shall be secured in place.
0コメント