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Dryer Vent Height: How High Should Dryer Vent Be?

If you have a dryer, you must be careful about installing the vent. The dryer vent needs to be properly installed because your dryer performance will depend on vent performance. If you have any faulty dryer vent, it will decrease the dryer performance.

In today’s article, I will show you how you can install the dryer vent properly and which would be your best choice. You will also get the info regarding your queries and dryer height. So, let’s start exploring the dryer vent.

How high should dryer vent be?

The dryer vent should be 12 inches high, which is equivalent to one foot. If you have a powerful dryer and want to ensure the best dryer vent experience, you should install it 12-inches high, or the height of your dryer vent must be more than or equal to 12″. It might vary in a few aspects.

The dryer vent works to pass the extra heat produced by your dryer. Sometimes, you might increase the power, but the dryer doesn’t need them. In that case, the extra produced heat might damage the internal parts of your dryer. 

So, the dryer will pass the extra heat through the vent and maintain an even temperature or heat.

If you are concerned about your existing dryer vent, you can still increase its height by following some tips, but it is not ideal to increase the height if your dryer vent doesn’t allow you to do so. You must check your dryer vent before buying and know its working capacity. 

You can check the perfect height and see if it will work for you.

If you already have a previously installed dryer vent in your laundry room, you can check its height and decide on the next one. If your existing dryer vent is 16 inches high, you should look for that dryer vent when you want to replace it. 

Maybe your existing dryer produces too much heat and requires a higher dryer vent.

Tumble dryer:

A tumble dryer vent should also be installed 12 inches high. It’s a powerhouse that will remove the moisture from the clothes after they are washed perfectly. 

If you have a tumble dryer, you must be careful about its vent since it will work magically and pass the extra pressure and heat inside the dryer.

When installing the tumble dryer, your vent must be installed 12 inches high or one and a half feet away from the dryer. So, the dryer vent will need to be a little far to have enough space to get out the heat & pressure.

Stackable dryer:

If you look for one solution for all, you must go for a stackable dryer. It will give you the best feeling of laundry services where you can dry and get the ready-made clothes. 

If you have a small space but want the best washing experience, a stackable dryer would be a good choice.

The stackable dryer vent should be 12 inches high. It doesn’t need any further distance between the dryer vent and the machine. So, it’s better you follow the instructions for installing the dryer vent and get the perfect height from the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Is there a standard height for clothes dryer vents?

There is no standard height for clothes dryer vents but the regular height is 12 inches for clothes dryer vents. Mainly, the dryer vent works for passing the extra pressure and heat from inside the dryer machine. 

It will help you to consider the perfect heat of your dryer machine.

But the thing will be the same for all types of dryer machines. Whether it is clothes dryer vents or a tumble dryer vent, the height standard will remain the same. You can only consider some factors in creating a new standard for your machine according to the dryer quality.

If your dryer machine comes with high power and requires you to install or increase the height of your dryer vent, you can increase the vent height by following some simple tips. But the standard of your clothes dryer vent will remain 12 inches or a single foot. 

You cannot change it accordingly.

Can dryer vent be higher than dryer?

A dryer vent can be higher than a dryer since it’s a pipe material, and it can be anything made of plastic, metal, and any other metal. Typically, the dryer vent remains as low as the dryer machine, but you can install it in other ways. 

You must do it when your dryer machine asks you to increase the dryer vent height.

In that case, the dryer vent height would be more than 12 inches. But the regular dryer vent height is equal to 12 inches. You can customize the height of your dryer vent, but it will not become a great way to increase your vent height. It entirely depends on your dryer machine.

When you buy the brand new dryer machine, it will come up with all the guidelines from the manufacturer. Your first job should be to read the guidelines and determine the dryer vent installation process. 

It will tell you if you need to install the dryer vent above the dryer machine or keep it as low as possible.

In some cases, you might find that the dryer vent is going beneath the dryer machine. It happens if you don’t have enough space and want to save your outer space. 

If it happens, you don’t need to worry about the venting quality because the dryer vent could be above or beneath your dryer machine.

What is code for dryer venting?

Dryer vent codes can help you prevent fires, moisture damage, and some other problems at the installation time. Here are some of the key dryer vent codes:

Independent Dryer Vent:

The dryer vent must be independent. If a dryer vent is misconnected to another, the lint buildup can lead to fire, dryer damage, or moisture damage.

Placement:

The dryer vent code states that the conduit must end the exterior and ought not to be vented into the house. Gallons of dampness can harm things like wood sheathing and drywall if it is despicably ducted to an inside space.

Distance:

The dryer vent code states that the outside hood must be at slightest 3 feet absent from any openings such as windows or entryways. 

Since the dryer sends out a part of dampness and buildup particles, you do not need the debilitate to be sucked into the domestic through the window or door. 

Material:

The dryer vent (the conduit interior of the divider) must be made of metal and have a smooth inside wrap. The dryer channel must moreover be at least 4 inches wide.

Installation:

After introducing a modern dryer vent and the dividers are open, you wish to bolster the dryer conduit with straps or a few sort of latch at 12 feet intervals. 

The male or insert conclusion of the dryer channel must be embedded within the heading of the wind flow to dodge buildup blockages.

How to increase the height of dryer vent?

The materials you utilize are not a critical factor regarding how tall it can go or how much you can increase. The thing that influences how tall you’ll take your dryer vent is how many 90-degree and 45-degree points you’ve got within the pipe.

According to your requirement, you can increase the height of the dryer vent vertically. Dryers are sketched out with various options for increasing (expanding) since venting dryers isn’t one-size-fits-all. 

If the circumstance calls for it, you’ll increase your dryer any side up, down, or sideways. The maximum height up to which you can increase the height of the dryer vent is from 35 to 40 feet vertically. 

So, if you need to extend the height of the dryer vent, you should apply a few essential tips. 

90 Degree Elbows:

Each 90-degree turn can increase the height of dryer vent by an additional five feet. For adding each 90-degree elbow in your dryer conduit, your dryer vent can be increased as long as five vertical feet. 

So, if you want to increase the height of the dryer vent by 10 feet, you will require two more 90-degree turns. 

45 Degree Elbows:

Every 45-degree turn includes an additional 2.5 feet. It’s simple to disregard. In case you don’t have much experience introducing dryer vents. 

Again, to increase the height of the dryer vent by 5 inches, four extra 45-degree elbows are needed.

Final Thoughts

Dryer vent height should be around 12 inches, but it’s not universal. Tour dryer vent could be above the dryer machine or beneath it. It depends on your outer space and how you want to install the dryer vent. If you have enough space, you can keep your dryer vent out of the laundry room.