Home dryer help needed

[albow]

I came across a good deal on a washer dryer pair 2 years ago and bought them, letting them sit new and unused in my shed. Now that I need the dryer, I got it into the house but have run into issues I was unaware of. The biggest of these seems to be that I have a mobile home and the owners manual says I need different exhaust venting for this and also makes it sound like I need to pull air IN through a window for it, whether I use it in gas or electric mode. I had no idea it would do both and have gas at the house, but plan to use it electrically. It didn't even come with a power cord I just now noticed so I'll have to get one. Here is a quote from the installation manual. "This dryer is suitable for mobile home installations" blah blah standards, etc. "metal exhaust system hardware" must be used. "Special provisions must be made in mobile homes to introduce outside air into the dryer. The opening (such as a nearby window) should be twice as large as the dryer exhaust opening."

What exactly does this mean? There is a window in the room, which is actually part of an outside door. It doesn't mention putting a vent from the window into the dryer. Are they talking about for emergency ventilation of the room or something? I mean, neither the original dryer nor the second one, which was installed by Lowes I believe, have had anything special that I am aware of. You would think if some special venting were needed that the laundry room would be made to conform from the get go. As well, I haven't had metal exhaust pipe. I've had the flexible aluminum foil type the whole time and apparently Lowe's didn't care when they set it up. Convince me that I need to do something different rather than buy a cord and wire it in. What's the deal here? I guess there's a safety standard that has changed through the years? I know there are different venting requirements for gas appliances such as water heaters in mobile homes but this will be electric. What do I need to do?

[time2roll]

I guess it is just common to me. My RV had poorly installed plenum ducting causing over temperature and cycling (shutting down) the burner. My home dryer in a smallish laundry room has an airflow sensor that will shut the machine down if the door is not left partially open. If the door is not latched the vacuum will pull the door open. Eerily similar to me.

[dougrainer]

time2roll wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
You are comparing Apples and Oranges. RV furnaces really have no similar requirements. The Combustion air intake and exhaust is completely handled by the outside vent/s. The Interior air is just recycled air that flows over the burner chamber. Now RV OVENS and Ranges do have interior fresh air requirements. They are exhausted INSIDE the RV. Doug

OK go ahead and undersize the required ducting and see how that works for you.
Actually undersized ducting and reduced airflow is a fairly common problem in RVs due to barely meeting the minimum requirements. They run up against the high limit safety switch to cycle the heat. I believe you are well aware of this. I don't want this in my furnace or my dryer.

Apples and Oranges... Both are mostly round, both are fruit, both grow on a tree, both are sweet, both are often of similar size. 😉

This thread is about VENTING and Fresh air. NOT about correct install of the furnace ducting. AND, undersize ducting for a furnace is NOT a common problem. Doug

[time2roll]

dougrainer wrote:
You are comparing Apples and Oranges. RV furnaces really have no similar requirements. The Combustion air intake and exhaust is completely handled by the outside vent/s. The Interior air is just recycled air that flows over the burner chamber. Now RV OVENS and Ranges do have interior fresh air requirements. They are exhausted INSIDE the RV. Doug

OK go ahead and undersize the required ducting and see how that works for you.
Actually undersized ducting and reduced airflow is a fairly common problem in RVs due to barely meeting the minimum requirements. They run up against the high limit safety switch to cycle the heat. I believe you are well aware of this. I don't want this in my furnace or my dryer.

Apples and Oranges... Both are mostly round, both are fruit, both grow on a tree, both are sweet, both are often of similar size. 😉

[smthbros]

Appliances that remove air from a structure will require some sort of make up air. If the structure contains enough cubic feet of air and consequentially adequate infiltration, then you may be good to go. If not, then you should provide a dedicated source of make up air. The problem with small structures is not only the lack of existing air volume inside, but also the lack of sufficient infiltration sources. The issue with combustion appliances is the requirement for combustion air as well as potentially, make up air. Many mobile homes built over the last couple of decades have a make up air system included with the forced air heating system. This may be verified by checking the furnace blower compartment for an 'attic vent' in the top of the compartment. I can not speak to the adequacy of this vent.

[enblethen]

OP is dealing with his home, however there is no requirement for electrical furnaces to have outside air. The system is a closed system and the cold air return within the structure takes care of issue.
Gas appliances have different requirement as they burn up the oxygen within the structure.

[dougrainer]

time2roll wrote:

GDS-3950BH wrote:
"Special provisions must be made in mobile homes to introduce outside air into the dryer. The opening (such as a nearby window) should be twice as large as the dryer exhaust opening."

Direct from the manufacturers legal department. Some idiot apparently asphyxiated themselves using a gas dryer in a mobile home. That seems like something one would really have to work at but you have no shortage of morons out there. Mobile homes I have ever been familiar with were far from an energy efficient, draft free, airtight box with no air infiltration.

Your RV furnace has similar specifications. There is a minimum square inch requirement for both the output ducting and the grate to let air into the cabinet. Air must move for these things to operate.

You are comparing Apples and Oranges. RV furnaces really have no similar requirements. The Combustion air intake and exhaust is completely handled by the outside vent/s. The Interior air is just recycled air that flows over the burner chamber. Now RV OVENS and Ranges do have interior fresh air requirements. They are exhausted INSIDE the RV. Doug

[Gdetrailer]

wa8yxm wrote:
The problem with mobile homes is they are fairly well sealed.

Don't know what mobile home you are talking about but all the ones I have been in, the wind whistles right through them as if the thing was made of Swiss cheese.. Had water lines freeze that were in the middle of the trailer inside interior walls and near the furnace closet for insult to injury. Had to cut holes in the walls to allow heat to get to the lines which helped some.

As far as the OPs question, unless the drier is gas fired (OP said no cord came with it which means it is a 240V electric drier and not gas fired) it will most likely be fine with no "make up" outside air.

Supplying outside air may help the drier work a bit easier expelling the hot moist air outside when installed in a very air tight shell home. However bringing in extreme cold outside air in winter and hot humid air in summer can affect how long it takes to dry the loads.

If you don't feel comfortable in not following manufacturers instructions then add the outside air.

[time2roll]

GDS-3950BH wrote:
"Special provisions must be made in mobile homes to introduce outside air into the dryer. The opening (such as a nearby window) should be twice as large as the dryer exhaust opening."

Direct from the manufacturers legal department. Some idiot apparently asphyxiated themselves using a gas dryer in a mobile home. That seems like something one would really have to work at but you have no shortage of morons out there. Mobile homes I have ever been familiar with were far from an energy efficient, draft free, airtight box with no air infiltration.

Your RV furnace has similar specifications. There is a minimum square inch requirement for both the output ducting and the grate to let air into the cabinet. Air must move for these things to operate.

[wa8yxm]

The problem with mobile homes is they are fairly well sealed. Thus the blower on the dryer, if vented outdoors, can seriously lower the air pressure inside the house. a source of fresh air is needed.

Hopefully the unit includes the instructions or you might go to the manufacturer's product support page and see if there are instructions.. From your description of the install it won't be a problem.

[GDS-3950BH]

albow wrote:
"metal exhaust system hardware" must be used. "Special provisions must be made in mobile homes to introduce outside air into the dryer. The opening (such as a nearby window) should be twice as large as the dryer exhaust opening."

What exactly does this mean?

"metal exhaust system hardware" must be used.

Probably a good idea with a dryer, especially when it's gas.

"Special provisions must be made in mobile homes to introduce outside air into the dryer. The opening (such as a nearby window) should be twice as large as the dryer exhaust opening."

Direct from the manufacturers legal department. Some idiot apparently asphyxiated themselves using a gas dryer in a mobile home. That seems like something one would really have to work at but you have no shortage of morons out there. Mobile homes I have ever been familiar with were far from an energy efficient, draft free, airtight box with no air infiltration.

[coolmom42]

time2roll wrote:
You can't operate a dryer in a closed room with a closed door. The dryer functions by moving hot moist air out the vent and outdoors. The room can create a vacuum and reduce airflow. Usually it is a 4" round exhaust vent so 25 square inches of window opening to allow air into the room. Not meant to be complex.

This is correct, if the room is tightly sealed. Very few rooms are that tightly sealed from the rest of a home.

However, I know people who run tons of laundry through a dryer in a closet installation with the door closed, and no special ventilation. Mine is in a 5x10' room with usually a door cracked to the rest of the house, and has been fine for 25 years, for sometimes 20 loads a week. Seems as long as you have something as much as a decent crack below a door that keeps the laundry room from being sealed, you're good.

I think this is kind of the usual CYA language that takes up half of owner's manuals any more.

[albow]

Yeah, I guess it does make sense since there are 2 types of receptacles. Thanks.

[wnjj]

albow wrote:
It doesn't make sense that they don't include a cord, especially since they say don't use the old one but the instructions with a pic are supplied both for a 3 and a 4 prong, which my outlet is.

They don’t include a cord because houses have a mix of 3 or 4 pin receptacles. Cords aren’t that expensive and are available at home improvement and hardware stores. I’d use the old one if it’s not damaged.

[time2roll]

You don't need air for gas combustion but you still need airflow for the dryer to work. Reduced airflow could significantly extend the dry cycle and the cost of electricity.

They are not going to supply two cords so they supply none. Typically the installer will either use the cord from the old dryer or sell you the correct cord. And you can get cords in different lengths depending on the situation. The dryer manufacturer does not know your situation so this is common and ordinary procedure.