Outdoor air intake for dryer?
bill allemann
electric dryer would draw outside air and therefore save seemingly lots of
energy. The basic ducting is not too complicated, but to avoid outside air
chilling the room during the heating season, something needs to block cold
air intrusion during idle time. A backdraft valve wouldn't work because it
would be "pointed" the wrong way.
Maybe if the outside air intake was low as feasible, and uninsulated ducting
went up a cold wall above the ceiling, then did a U-turn and back down
(insulated) a few feet to a laundry room ceiling register. I was thinking
the inverted U would form a gravity type airlock of sorts. The suction of
the dryer running would overcome the airlock, of course. This room isn't
built yet, so access and space isn't a problem to install this type of
stuff.
Anybody done anything like this, or have any other ideas?
Thanks
Bill
Joseph Meehan
> I was thinking of making a laundry room & door fairly airtight so an
> electric dryer would draw outside air and therefore save seemingly
> lots of energy. The basic ducting is not too complicated, but to
> avoid outside air chilling the room during the heating season,
> something needs to block cold air intrusion during idle time. A
> backdraft valve wouldn't work because it would be "pointed" the wrong
> way.
I believe there are some you can install either way.
>
...
> Bill
--
Joseph E. Meehan
26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math
Joe Bobst
energy >>
If you do an energy balance on this notion you will see that it doesn't work
unless you use electric heat in your home. If you are heating with
oil/gas/whatever, then the energy used to raise a cf of air from outside
ambient to inside temperature costs less than the equivalent electric heat from
the dryer. One can raise a lot of other interesting if's,and;s, and but's,
however the complications and cost of all the hardware leave the issue in
doubt.
If you think this is the way to save energy, put the dryer on your front porch
like they do in Arkansas. Or in an unheated area of the house, like a garage..
Cheers.
Joe
m Ransley
basement venting can be helpfull . But I can see times when your idea
would be good, depending on outside weather. My using of laundry
produces humidity which you may trap. and encourage mold in your washer
A tight room will have drawbacks, in the summer especialy. In winter
that extra humidity is needed.
Joseph Meehan
I would tend to believe that there will be some trade off, but not as
much as you are thinking. The real issue is moisture not heat. We want to
dry the laundry not warm it. So taking in cold, outside air and heating it,
will produce some very dry air that can absorb even more moisture than the
inside air, after it has been warmed to the same temperature. In almost all
cases during the winter the inside air will have more moisture (likely lower
humidity) than outside air, which if warmed to the same temperature as the
inside air would have much lower humidity.
During the summer I would think Bill's idea would be even more cost
effective.
Dave Harnish
If I may add my $.02: 'don't know if you live where winters are
on the cold side, but around here (the 'endless mountains' of NE
PA), this doesn't work in winter. This is equivalent to running the
dryer in an unheated room.
If the clothes dry, it will take a long while, drastically lowering the
dryer's efficiency. When run in the 'auto' cycle in unheated rooms,
dryers never shut off. (The only time the timers advance is when
the tstat's 'satisfied', and when the intake air's very cold, that
doesn't happen).
I wrote an article about this in my newsletter back in January '03:
http://www.DavesRepair.com/DRSNbackissues/drsn0103.htm
Hope that's of some help.
God bless,
Dave Harnish
Dave's Repair Service
New Albany, PA
www.DavesRepair.com
d...@sosbbs.com
570-363-2404
I'm a 32-year pro appliance technician, and love sharing what
I've learned - in a FREE Monthly Appliance Tips Newsletter.
(Back issues now posted here too!) www.DavesRepair.com
John 3:3
"bill allemann" <custo...@sbcglobalDOTnet.invalid> wrote in message
news:xp0zc.4480$%U....@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com...
Chet Hayes
> Hi,
>
> If I may add my $.02: 'don't know if you live where winters are
> on the cold side, but around here (the 'endless mountains' of NE
> PA), this doesn't work in winter. This is equivalent to running the
> dryer in an unheated room.
>
> If the clothes dry, it will take a long while, drastically lowering the
> dryer's efficiency. When run in the 'auto' cycle in unheated rooms,
> dryers never shut off. (The only time the timers advance is when
> the tstat's 'satisfied', and when the intake air's very cold, that
> doesn't happen).
>
> I wrote an article about this in my newsletter back in January '03:
> http://www.DavesRepair.com/DRSNbackissues/drsn0103.htm
>
> Hope that's of some help.
>
> God bless,
>
> Dave Harnish
> Dave's Repair Service
> New Albany, PA
> www.DavesRepair.com
> d...@sosbbs.com
> 570-363-2404
>
Sounds right to me. Most homes are heated with cheaper fuels than
electricity. I'd rather use that to bring the air from say 20 degrees
up to room temp, than have the electric dryer try to do it. For all
the trouble, there are plenty of easier and more effective things that
can be done to save energy. IMO, this isn't going to save anything.