plastic dryer duct vs metal
I've used plastic dryer duct for 46 years and never had a problem. Now all of a sudden you hear about dryer fires all the time. Why in the world would you want to use metal when it builds heat? My ducting lays on the floor and goes right out the adjacent wall and there is no kinking or drooping. I check it for lint periodically and never have had to remove any appreciable amount. If after 46 years of marriage 3 children, 7 grandchildren and 1000's of loads of laundry, there has never been any problem. In years past you never heard of anyone you knew or anything on the news about dryer fires. Why did they decide to change? The plastic could melt if your dryer malfunctioned, but it doesn't build up heat and the lint slides through with no problem. You could alway support it with hangers if you had to thread it through walls or other obstacles. It sounds to me like some company told everybody to stop using plastic so they could sell a more expensive metal product. Profit greed is usually the catalyst for change. Is your duct a smooth plastic inside or is it a corrugated interior caused by the wire that keeps it round or close to round? Metal does not build up heat since it has a higher conductivity than most plastic. Prescriptive codes are written to be easily enforced and are base on historic problems and the causes. Dick It's a corrugated flexible pipe with wire. I've had it upstairs for the last 21 years. I think dryer fires is #3 on the list behind kitchen and heating. This is nothing new been a law for many many years! Lots of homes lost to plastic dryer duct. I know it's been a long time since plastic was recommended, but the two people I know personally who have had dryer fires have had metal pipe and both have been in the last 10 years. Before that people used plastic since dryers were invented and you never heard of dryer fires. Wonder why? But imagine how much worse a dryer fire can be in a plastic tube that may melt and even contribute flammable products. Metal ducts don't eliminate all dryer fires but they may reduce the damage when they occur. but the two people I know personally who have had dryer fires have had metal pipe Dryer duct should be cleaned once a year! This should eliminate most fires. Many people that had fires may not be around, so you never know about them or their comments. I have smooth metal ducts and clean them every spring and it what the accumulation is and I can only imagine how much there would be with a corrugated plastic. We also do not run the drier on full heat. Dick Dryer manufacturers have nothing to gain restricting the use of plastic ducting. Nor do the numerous builing/fire departments across the Nation. Use a Type A hood, not B: Appliance411 FAQ: How long can my dryer vent be? I suggest you do some research on this to enlighten you. This will get you started: The Facts About Clothes Dryer Exhaust Systems | ASHI Reporter You may notice a general theme in fact finding, plastic melts to let the fire in the house rather than exhaust it outside. Notice the statistics changed when the standards improved. Be safe, Gary
Related Posts:
No vent on electric dryer should i be concerned
No Vent on Electric Dryer, Should I Be Concerned?I apologize if this is a repeat question. I did a quick forum search but there were too many threads with dryer vent to go through. I rent an apart...
Maytag bravos dryer stopped heating
Maytag Bravos Dryer stopped heating.I have a two-year-old Maytag Bravos Electronic Dryer. The numbers at the bottom of the owners manual are W10260037A and W10267625A-SP. I’m not sure if one of th...
Old home 3 inch dryer vent fire hazard
Old home, 3 inch dryer vent, fire hazard?My friend just bought an old house, it has a 3 inch dryer vent that disappears into a wall and exits at the roof. We bought a 4 to 3 inch conversion and ho...
Plastic welding
Plastic Welding?Has anyone done any? I've only been welding for a year, but I've got 4 certifications, and I've used every common form of welding there is (acytalene, SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, flux core),...
Metal studs vs wood your choice
Metal studs vs Wood? Your choice?This is just an opinion question I assume because from reading these posts people use both? When finishing a basement, which method of material would you prefer an...
