We all know that dryers produce hot, moist air. Vented dryers convey this air outside through ductwork. How can the ventless dryer be so different that it is no longer inadvisable to forego the venting? Surely some of the heat and moisture escape into the room.
As it turns out, some heat and moisture do escape into the room. However, the amount is typically negligible when the dryer is working properly and installed correctly.
The air released by ventless dryers is stripped of most moisture and heat. Small amounts of residual heat and the heat produced by the running dryer can heat up a poorly ventilated room. Open a window while the dryer’s in use or leave doors open to other rooms to provide sufficient ventilation.
Dryer Cools Air Before It’s Released
Ventless dryers work differently from vented dryers as they need an alternate way to expel air and moisture since there is no vent.
Basically, ventless dryers take in the room temperature air surrounding the appliance and then heat it in the condenser component of the machine. While your clothes tumble around, the hot air is blown into the drum and water evaporates from the fabrics due to the increase in temperature.
The water-laden air then moves over a cooling condenser. The temperature drops and water condenses out into a collection tank inside the machine that will need to be emptied went full (or used in a clever, earth-friendly way).
The air, which has been both cooled and cleared of excess moisture, will be released back into the room, and should not really change the overall temperature of the laundry room.
Air Around Dryer Will Be Warmer
Even though your overall laundry room (or wherever you keep your appliances) won’t be made warmer as a consequence of your machine, the air that directly surrounds the machine does tend to be warmer. This is really just from the heat that is produced from the dryer when it runs.
The warm air is concentrated around the dryer itself and won’t spread to the rest of the room. So, if you were hoping to kill two birds with one stone, you can’t expect the dryer to warm you up like a space heater would.
Nevertheless, you should keep this heat production in mind when placing items that are sensitive to heat around the dryer. For instance, don’t keep any products made of thin plastic close to the machine as they could possibly melt.
Poorly Ventilated Rooms Can Heat Up
There is an instance where the temperature of your room can become significantly warmer because of your dryer. This is when your room is poorly ventilated, especially while running the dryer. Rooms in which windows or doors are kept closed during a drying cycle can feel quite stuffy.
If there is nowhere for the slightly warm expelled air to dissipate, then it will accumulate and heat up the room. It is not a good idea to have a ventless dryer in a poorly ventilated room as it won’t have many benefits for you, even if the room is slightly warmer.
If you were looking to use your dryer as a form of heating for the room it is in, you must remember that the warmth you will be feeling will not be a dry heat like it would when coming from a radiator or space heater. There will be moisture in the air.
Air expelled by ventless dryers is not completely moisture free and if this air accumulates and concentrates, then it can result in slightly elevated humidity levels in the room.
We all know that excess moisture in an enclosed space can quickly result in unwanted mold and mildew, which brings about nasty consequences, so it’s important to ventilate the room with a ventless dryer.
How Much Ventilation Does the Room Require?
There is no need to panic that your room will be ridden with mold if you have a ventless dryer. Honestly, they are designed to be used indoors without the need to vent the air outside.
You just need to make sure the room is adequately ventilated—and by this I mean you really just need to provide the room an opportunity to let some air out. You don’t need to have multiple vents sticking out of your room.
As long as there is an operable window in the room, you can crack it open while the dryer runs (and for an hour or so after) to expel the moisture.
Alternatively, if the room does not have windows, then leaving the door open that leads to the rest of the house would also allow for sufficient ventilation.
Sources
https://www.reviewed.com/laundry/features/everything-you-need-to-know-about-ventless-dryers