The legality of venting a dryer into a garage depends on your local building codes. In many areas, it's actually not legal because of the safety and health risks involved.
When installing a range hood over a cooktop, this can mean that venting the range hood into the garage seems like a viable option. After all, it gets the fumes out of your house, and garages are easy to air out. However, this is actually a dangerous practice. You should never vent a hood into your garage.
A vented tumble dryer releases hot, moist air through a hose, which needs to be directed outside. If the garage lacks proper ventilation or if the venting is not correctly installed, it can lead to moisture buildup, mould, and mildew.
All dryer vents are subject to very specific building codes that can adversely affect a home inspection when you're ready to sell. Venting a dryer into a garage or other enclosed space will more than likely show up on an inspection report as an item required for repair before a home can be sold.
M1502.
Exhaust ducts shall terminate on the outside of the building or shall be in accordance with the dryer manufacturer's installation instructions. Exhaust ducts shall terminate not less than 3 feet in any direction from openings into buildings. Exhaust duct terminations shall be equipped with a backdraft damper.
In most states, indoor dryer vents are not legal. Colorado's residential code, for example, initially states that dryers must be vented according to manufacturer instructions, which could allow for indoor or outdoor venting. The next section, however, says that dryer exhaust vents shall convey moisture outdoors.
But you must bear in mind that if you are going to purchase a vented tumble dryer you need to ensure that you place the dryer near an external wall or window. This then ensures that you can have a vent fixed through the wall to allow the moisture to escape outside.
Termination of dryer venting must be to the exterior with a proper hood or roof cap equipped with a backdraft damper.
EXPLOSION HAZARD
If the dryer is installed in a garage, it must be a minimum of 18 inches (45.7 cm) above the floor. Failure to do so can result in death, explosion, fire or burns.
Per the requirements of the International Residential Code, Section M1502 (2009-2021 IRC), the clothes dryer exhaust duct should be a rigid or semi-rigid metal duct made of galvanized steel or galvanized aluminum with a smooth interior finish and a duct diameter of 4 inches.
Longer Drying Times: A dryer without proper venting struggles to remove moisture effectively. This means your clothes take longer to dry, leading to higher energy bills and potential damage from over-drying.
But, condenser and heat pump dryers are the easiest to install in a garage, as they recycle the heat and steam within the machine, so you won't need a hose for the water to escape through. You'll need to ensure there's space around the machine and that the room is well ventilated.
Equip your dryer with a temporary aluminum hose that can channel warm air, lint, and gases outside the home. In this way, the indoor air remains safe to breathe, and the dryer itself can operate with increased efficiency. A simple dryer hose can make a huge difference! Sometimes a window dryer vent can help too.
Vented dryers will require you to modify your garage so that the vent can pump the hot air outside.
Is this allowed by the building codes? Sadly, the answer is yes. The building codes say you can put your HVAC system and ductwork in a garage as long as you meet certain requirements.
It works just fine and never gives us any trouble. We just fill it with water and connect the dryer duct. The water in the bucket collects the lint, and we change the water from time to time.
It can be but not recommended. The dryer removes moisture from your clothing. That moisture it then vented outside. Venting it into your garage will result in moisture in your garage that may lead to mold, possibly black mold which is very not good.
The dryer needs to be installed near an external vent that has been fitted into an external wall, allowing the damp air to escape outside. Thanks to the external vent, there is no need to worry about empting water from the machine.
Exhaust from gas dryers must be vented outside because it contains carbon monoxide. Outdoor dryer vents, on the other hand, are suitable for dryers with any power source. This style runs through an external wall, ending in a dryer vent cap outside of your home.
On the back of your dryer, you will find the unit's ventilation hose. The hose then leads to the exhaust vent, which will typically be located outside your home.
Air-vented dryers draw air from the room in which they are installed, heat it and lead it through the humid clothing in the drum to evaporate the moisture. The humid air is then expelled to the external environment. Air-vented dryers thus require an exhaust to the outside, making them less practical.
Make sure you don't have a dryer vent into your attic; it should go all the way outside through a system designed specifically for roofs.