Roughly 80 percent of the homes in this country have a dryer installed in them. They can be gas or electric and I am sure most of you assumed that they also have to have outdoor ventilation. That, however, is not the case. There are ventless dryers available, and they are actually the ideal solution in certain settings. However, with as much attention as we have drawn to ventilation for dryers, we figured it was about time that we put together an article to go over the pros and cons of ventless dryers.
Types of Ventless Dryers
So, clearly, a ventless dryer does not have access to outside ventilation. There are two basic types of ventless dryers:
- Heat Pump Dryers
- Condenser Dryers
Heat Pump Dryers – This is a fairly new type of ventless dryers, but they are growing in popularity due to the fact they are highly efficient appliances. These dryers use a heat pump that cycles the hot air through the dryer drum without creating moisture or hot air in the laundry room.
Condenser Dryers – This is the most common type of ventless dryers mostly due to the fact that it has been around far longer than the heat pump version of a ventless dryer. This uses a similar method to a vented dryer in that the hot air is circulated through an air hose, only the air is cooled. As the air cools, it created moisture, which is then collected in a chamber, then recirculated during the dryer cycle. Once the cycle is over, the water can be collected from the tray and discarded.
Pros of a Ventless Dryer
The beauty of one of these dryers is that they can be installed just about anywhere in the home without the need for ventilation, so you will not have to worry about cutting any holes in the exterior of the home for venting.
These dryers are also much more energy efficient than standard dryers because they recirculate the air rather than creating it.
In terms of installation, they are pretty much plug-and-play, with no need to have a handyman or appliance repair technician hook up the ventilation system.
One final note, due to the drying technique, these dryers tend to be gentler on fabrics, so they can prolong the life of your regularly worn clothing.
Cons of Ventless Dryers
The biggest downside to a ventless dryer is they do not have the capacity of traditional dryers and the drying cycle can take much longer than you are used to. This is definitely something to consider, especially for a family that generates a lot of laundry.
Finally, since there is no ventilation, there will be added humidity where the dryer is installed, which, as you know, can possibly lead to mold and mildew buildup. Due to this, you may want to consider installing the dryer in a more open area and create an air flow with a floor fan when running the dryer.
