Gas / Electric Washer & Dryer

[killerbee1970]

I am currently in the process of finishing my basement. 1/2 of the basement contains the furnace, HW heater, and the workbench area. The other half will become livable space. I would also like to put in a Washer and Dryer. My house is made of brick and was built in the 1940's. The previous owner only had an electric washing machine but no dryer. The only place that I could put a new W&D is where the old Washer was. However I think I will have a very big problem. [V] The wall where the W&D must go is next to the garage.

1) Could someone tell me if there is any major difference between having a Gas or just Electric W&D[?]

2) Can anyone offer some suggestion on how I can vent the dryer? If the vent is cut into this wall, the fumes will be released in the garage. This is probably why the previous owner did not have a dryer. Can the fumes be vented in some way via a PCV pipe in the garage (up the wall under the ceiling and then out the exterior wall)?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.......Thanks

[kactuskid]

It would be better if you could route the dryer vent out one of the other walls in your workshop room, perhaps a side wall. The problem with venting out the garage wall is that the garage wall is a fire barrier wall and cannot be breached if it is on the same wall that attaches to your house. You should be able to route a vent system through the sill plate cavity on an adjacent wall. Keep in mind that a dryer vent run should be no longer than 25 feet and that you must deduct 5 feet for every 90 deg elbow that is installed. Here's a link for details:

http://www.onthehouse.com/wp/20001218

As for your appliances, most all washers are electric. The most efficient dryer would be a gas powered type since gas is alot cheaper than electric. So, you'd need a gas pipe run to the dryer location and you'd need a 120 Volt receptacle to plug both the washer and dryer into.

If you choose to install an electric dryer then you will need to run a dedicated 240 volt circuit that's protected by a 30 amp double pole breaker. This would mean you would need 2 entire free slots in your breaker panel to accomidate it.

[HayZee518]

In choosing a dryer consider this. With electric you get one bill. You don't have to worry about fumes. With a gas you get two bills - one for gas, one for electric. You got fum,es to deal with. Since you say you got room for just one unit - look at apartment sized units - over and under. The dryer is over the washer body = one square space not two. 4" galvanized stove pipe is the way to go to another outside wall and use a flex aluminum duct to an outside vent.

[ApplianceTech2]

Below is a chart list with dryer vent lengths recommended by most manufacturers of dryer appliances. May provide some helpful information. Most alternate important point to keep in mind from what has already been provide in this postby the other pros, is that dryer fan blowers are not powerful enough to blow long distances. Nor do they perform well with vertical rises. Simply not enough power produced by the blowers.

As a result, the moisture heavy lint will collect at the lower spots in the venting system and begin clogging up the air flow. When enough collects inside the venting system, the dryer will take longer to dry and use more energy but get less accomplished. Frequent venting cleaning will be required.

Regardless of the energy type used, lint and mositure will still be a problem if the dryer is allowed to vent into the garage. No fumes with electric but the moisture and lint discharge will still be present. Look for any alternative means to vent dryer. If non are apparent, ask a pro. Or vent to the outside any way possible and clean exhaust ducting vent yearly.

Maximum Exhaust Vent Lengths:
4 Inch Rigid Metal Ducting with 4 Inch Vent Hood.
#of elbows:
0 elbows...44 feet
1 elbow....34 feet
2 elbows..26 feet
3 elbows..20 feet

Above With 2 Inch Vent Hood:
0 elbows...34 feet
1 elbow....26 feet
2 elbows..20 feet
3 elbows..14 feet

Maximum Exhaust Vent Lengths:
4 Inch Flexible Metal Ducting with 4 Inch Vent Hood.
0 elbows...24 feet
1 elbow....20 feet
2 elbows..16 feet
3 elbows..12 feet

Above With 2 Inch Vent Hood:
0 elbows...20 feet
1 elbow....16 feet
2 elbows..12 feet
3 elbows....8 feet

Good Luck.
ApplianceTech2
Natural & Propane Gas Appliance Repair Consultation Service Rep.

[LazyPup]

When installing metal duct pipe for a dryer vent it is better to tape the joints than secure with screws. When the joints are secured with screws the excess length of the screw protrudes into the pipe and catches lint, which results in stopped up vents.