It happens all the time: I check out a client’s roof and wonder why in the world the builder chooses to do it that way.
Recently, I was up at a home and saw that the client’s dryer was venting onto the roof, spilling lint all over the place, and potentially causing a fire hazard. And the homeowner didn’t even know it!
Proper Dryer Vent Positioning
Most of the time, builders vent dryers out of the sidewall, even if it’s a two-story. The lint blows off to the side and it’s no big deal. You can clean those out pretty easily.
But sometimes the builder takes the dryer vent and goes straight up with it, venting it on the top of the roof. That can be a big problem for a couple of reasons.
This particular vent was completely plugged in; all of the lint was stuck inside the vent. Lint was all over the roof and it looked terrible. When I unplugged it, I saw the flapper wasn’t even working. Who knows what was packed down inside the vent?
Why is This Dangerous?
First of all, that could be a fire hazard. Your dyer is pushing heat through the lint. Plus, it’s going to cause your dryer to work harder, making it less effective and shortening its service life.
If it’s possible to get the vent off of the roof and out a sidewall, let’s get that done. Have a plumber, an HVAC company, or a duct guy get that off of there and then we can change the roof line and close off the top.
If the vent can’t be changed, then maintenance needs to be a priority. The roof should be looked at once every two to three years to make sure that it’s not plugged at the top. And have a duct-cleaning company, or an HVAC company, clean that thing out on a regular basis.
Let Us Take a Look
Sometimes homeowners aren’t sure where their dryer is venting. If that’s you and you haven’t had your roof looked at lately, give us a call at (503) 461-2665. When we’re on your roof, we’ll look for potential issues and help guide you in the right direction.