Transform multifamily construction? A big prediction considering ventless drying is still a tiny minnow in a sea of traditional (vented) laundry appliances. However, if the ventless laundry growth trend continues, condensing dryers will evolve into a significant player in the overall laundry appliance landscape. This trend will do more than simply change the look of the laundry room; it will have a broad impact on the design and construction of multifamily dwellings.Why ventless drying will change the face of multifamily construction:
Cost:
Installing vent ducting is expensive. It’s estimated that the cost of time and material is between $200 and $400 per vented dryer. Add in the expense of periodically cleaning duct work in rental apartments, and you have a pricey project on your hands. Condensing dryers require only a 220 volt plug and access to a drain line (which is already installed near-by for the washer).
Design:
The impact of vented dryers in multifamily developments begins in the design phase, as architects work around cumbersome vent runs and incorporate through-the-wall exit points for each dryer. Without a dryer vent to work around, architects are free to spec in a washer and dryer practically anywhere in the residence. Additionally, the structural impact of dryer vent installation, which is a particular concern in converting older brick buildings into lofts or condos, is eliminated.
Efficiency:
With the exception of the refrigerator, laundry appliances are the most energy consuming appliances in the home. Due to a closed-loop design which re-circulates heated air, ventless dryers are 50% - 70% more efficient than their vented counterparts.
In addition, condensing dryers do not remove copious amounts of air from the surrounding room. Why is this important? . In most areas of the country, room air is heated by a furnace in the winter and cooled by an air conditioner in the summer. Standard vented dryers remove and expel this air, requiring HVAC systems to work harder to keep a room at a comfortable temperature.
Liability:
Ventless dryers eliminate fire liability that is inherent in every vented dryer. If not cleaned regularly, lint from vented dryers can build up in the dryer housing and surrounding duct work, increasing the risk of fire. Condensing dryers use a standard lint trap but do not have the ducting that can hold fire-igniting lint.
Installation:
Ventless dryers remove the installation restraints posed by standard vented dryers. Ventless dryers may be installed flush against the back wall of an extra closet of alcove without vent line encumbrances. In the case of ventless all-in-one washer dryer combos, options expand to include under-counter installation in a bathroom or kitchen.
While still an anomaly in North America, when multifamily developers awaken to the many advantage offered by condensing dryers, the ventless transformation will be off and running.
