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Frequently Asked Questions

Clothes Dryer Exhausting Recommendations

Clothes Dryer Exhausting Recommendations

A typical 12-pound load of laundry weighs about 20 pounds when it emerges from the washer, meaning that a dryer has to dispose of about a gallon of water with every load. Because of the moisture, exhausting the dryer to the outside is recommended since indoor exhausting can cause mildew and other problems.

There are several types of ducting materials available. They are listed below in order of preference:

Rigid metal (aluminum or galvanized steel) - strongly preferred

Flexible metal - acceptable

Flexible thin foil - unacceptable

Flexible plastic - unacceptable

Facts To Consider
• Underwriters Laboratories Inc., an independent testing agency that helps set national safety standards, requires that dryer manufacturers "include explicit instructions specifying that only rigid or flexible metal duct should be used for exhausting, unless the appliance has been investigated for use with nonmetallic duct." Maytag and other major dryer manufacturers recommend against the use of plastic flexible duct.
• Although plastic flexible duct (cheap and easy to install) might seem like just the thing for exhausting a dryer, it isn't. This type of exhaust duct, which resembles a plastic-covered slinky toy, is not recommended for several reasons.

Recommendations
• Read the manufacturer's installation instructions.
• If at all possible, use 4-inch diameter rigid aluminum or rigid galvanized steel duct. Do not use smaller duct. If flexible metal duct must be used, use the type with a stiff sheet metal wall. Do not use flexible duct with a thin foil wall. Never use plastic flexible duct.
• Do not exhaust the dryer into any wall, ceiling, crawl space or a concealed space of a building, gas vent or any other common duct or chimney.
• Keep exhaust duct as straight and short as possible. Exhaust systems longer than the manufacturer's recommendations can extend drying times, affect appliance operation and may collect lint. These recommendations may vary somewhat for various dryer brands and should be checked when installing the dryer.
• The exhaust hood on the outside of the house should have a swing out damper to prevent backdrafts and entry of wildlife. Never use an exhaust hood with a magnetic damper. The hood should have at least 12 inches of clearance between the bottom of the hood and the ground or other obstruction. The hood opening should point down. Never install a screen over the exhaust outlet.

Long Dry Times

How long a load takes to dry depends on many variables such as size of load, garment thickness, fiber content, etc. In general, 6 bath towels (weighing 5 lbs.) will dry in a dryer in about 40-50 minutes, including a brief cool-down. A 12-piece permanent press load with slacks, shirts, shorts, dress, etc., (weighing 5 lbs.) will dry in 30-40 minutes. As the load size increases, so will the drying time.

If the dryer seems to run longer than expected, it may be due to the cool-down portion of the cycle. Cool-down occurs at the end of the cycle, tumbling the load without heat to minimize wrinkling. In addition, some dryers offer extra tumbling without heat to allow time to remove the load when it is convenient. The load will be dried to the selected dryness at the beginning of the cool-down.

If the dryer control knob does not appear to be advancing at the start of the cycle, please be assured that this is normal. A dryer is designed to measure either the temperature of the exhausted air or the wetness of the load. With either of these methods, it takes a substantial amount of time initially before the control knob advances, but as the load dries, the knob will advance more rapidly.

Factors Affecting Drying Times

Dryer Exhaust Duct
Lint Filter
Dryer Settings
Overloading/Underloading
Mixed Loads
Washer Spin Cycle

Dryer Exhaust Duct
Proper exhausting is critical for good results. An obstruction in exhaust ducting, hood or extra-long ducting restricts the air flow and results in longer drying times. If at all possible, use 4-inch diameter rigid aluminum or rigid galvanized steel duct. Do not use smaller duct. If flexible metal duct must be used, use the type with a stiff sheet metal wall. Do not use flexible duct with a thin foil wall. Never use plastic flexible duct.
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Lint Filter
Failure to clean the lint filter can also result in longer drying times. Clean the lint filter after every load so the dryer's air flow is not obstructed in any way.
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Dryer Settings
Check the dryer controls for proper settings. Make sure that one, and only one, temperature button is selected. When determining where to set the control knob on a dryer, we suggest setting the knob initially in the middle of "More Dry" and "Less Dry" or on "Normal Dry" depending on the model. Selecting "More Dry" will increase drying times.
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Overloading/Underloading
One properly loaded wash load is also a proper dryer load. Overloading may prolong drying time. It can also cause uneven drying because proper tumbling action cannot occur. If only one or two items are placed in the dryer, the items do not dry efficiently. More items need to be added.
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Mixed Loads
Avoid drying heavy, hard-to-dry items with light-weight items.
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Washer Spin Cycle
Check to make sure the water is being spun out of the washer properly. Here is how to check the pump-out on a washer: After the washer has filled to the maximum water level, manually advance the dial to the final "spin." Start timing at the beginning of the spin, wait 90 seconds and then open the lid to see if all the water is drained out. If there is water remaining in the tub, there may be a drain restriction (kink in the drain hose, improper washer installation, etc.) which may need to be checked by an authorized service technician.

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