Dryer Vent

April 30, 2023

Fire risks are non something to take lightly, especially when it comes to appliances that generate rut, such every bit dryers together with their vents. There has to live a rubber fashion to install them, or else they would non live permitted in homes, only sometimes it’second difficult to go on rail of all the rules well-nigh the installation.

If yous are trying to figure out the best mode to adjust your dryer vents, in addition to you are unsure if it is rubber for them to be inward contact alongside woods in your household, this article should set your worries to residuum.

Wood used inwards menage framing ignites at temperatures of around 800 °F or higher. Dryer vent surfaces solely achieve around 130 °F. As such, it is highly unlikely that contact betwixt forest and dryer vents/ducts will cause whatever issues. It is not prohibited in the IRC.

How Hot Do Dryer Vents Get?

Dryer vents can achieve a range of temperatures, depending on diverse factors.

One of these factors is the size in addition to dampness of the load inwards the dryer, where bigger together with damper loads make a greater oestrus sink, such that hot air is cooled equally the moisture is evaporated.

Secondly, warmer room temperatures volition event inwards higher vent temperatures.

Thirdly, restrictions to airflow, such every bit when lint builds upwards in addition to traps oestrus, tin can likewise issue inwards higher vent temperatures.

Temperatures will besides vary according to where measurements are taken along the vent.

Air temperatures inwards the vent at the dryer typically range from 125 °F to 135 °F.

The surface temperature of the dryer vent at the interior surface of the exterior wall can reach from 113 °F to 130 °F.

Finally, the interior surface temperature of the dryer vent at the outside wall vent outlet tin range from 100 °F to 145 °F.

If any section of the dryer vent exceeds 392 °F, it is considered highly abnormal too dangerous.

However, in that location are ordinarily temperature control systems pre-installed in electrical dryers near the exhaust vent as well as heating chemical element that prevent overheating, depending on air temperature.

Heat Required to Ignite Wood

The temperature required to ignite wood is subject on the type of wood, including its density, structure, and resin lineament, also as environmental conditions.

Generally, forest starts burning at 320 °F to 500 °F without a visible flaming only instead alongside charring and bully.

Wood starts burning at 320 to 500 degrees fahrenheit, charred wood with smoke

At temperatures in a higher place 390 °F on average, the wood may grab burn down.

More specifically, woods from porous trees burns intensely, patch denser forest involve higher burning temperatures.

As examples of a few woods types unremarkably used inwards abode structure, pine ignites properly at 800 °F, while oak ignites at 900 °F.

These values are far lower than the normal average surface temperature of dryer vents.

Is House Framing Fire- or Heat-Resistant?

The function of burn-retardant materials has get pop together with is oftentimes necessary to satisfy edifice safe requirements.

Fire-retardant wood is treated alongside burn down-retardant chemicals (such as boric acid or burn down-resistant paint) using a high-pressure level organisation to ensure that it is completely infused with the chemicals.

These chemicals ensure that the fourth dimension it will accept for woods to ignite is prolonged as well as that it is more oestrus-resistant.

While burn-retardant materials may non live required to be used in just about parts of a edifice, home framing is required to consist of burn-retardant materials to satisfy condom requirements.

Aside from burn-resistant forest, frames constructed from material such equally steel together with concrete are naturally burn down- as well as heat-resistant.

Can You Use Pressure Treated Wood for Interior Framing

Dryer Vents Can Touch Wood

There is not likely to be an event with contact betwixt dryer vents too woods inward your dwelling house.

This is because dryer vents are unlikely to accomplish a temperature that is high plenty to campaign wood to ignite, specially if the dryer vents are well maintained.

Dryer vent with smoke and a text saying that dryer vents can touch wood

Additionally, home framing should consist of burn-resistant material that are either naturally resistant to oestrus or are treated with appropriate chemicals to go far and then.

Hence, as long equally you lot maintain dryer vents, ensuring that at that place is non a buildup of lint, it should live rubber to accept dryer vents too woods in contact.

The Code Doesn’t Prohibit Contact

The regulations for venting dryers are listed inwards Section M1502 of the International Residential Code (IRC).

In this section, there is no name of preventing contact betwixt forest as well as dryer ducts and vents, and so this is non expressly prohibited.

Possible Exception

According to Section M1502.one of the code, dryers should live vented according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Hence, if the manufacturer states that contact between forest as well as the dryer vents should be avoided, you lot are compelled to comply in gild to satisfy the code requirement.