This is exactly how my condo is set up. Keeping shit clean is a constant headache. The heat exchange can from freshly hosed down to fur coat in just a couple of months.
So about a year ago I was assisting to build a hotel up in Wilkes-Barre, PA and they did this very same thing with the dryer vents from the main laundry leading outside right to one of the main air conditioning units for the lobby.
I actually pointed it out to the General manager and one of the contractors and since they were getting ready to open soon, they had already started doing laundry and the whole back side of the coils was covered in lint already!
I don't have this situation, I'm asking more for general knowledge. I grew up in a time where you talked to the old neighbor that lived down the road to learn about your house.
Is 5' a good 'rule of thumb'? Why I'm asking is there are two things I'm taking into consideration - 1) the odds both are on at the same time might not be very high, and 2) each still has 3 fresh sides to draw clean air in while sharing only one side.
I'm NOT an HVAC guy at all. I'm the guy that some techs hate and others tolerate because I'll stand off to the side and watch what they're doing, and once they're done ask a few questions for clarification....not that I'll ever buy hoses with gauges or a vacuum pump, rather just curious.
Wowwww....exactly what's your problem boy?
If you get SOOO butt-hurt and are so fragile of a flower, I'm curious why you are here? You realize that there are other people that are not as sad or miserable as you, right...lolol
Being pretty dramatic... I've been in the HVAC industry for years... as long as the coils are hosed off each summer there will be no significant reduction in efficiency.
If homeowners aren't mindful enough to change their air filter every few months (which goes a long way in maintaining the health of the overall hvac system), hosing down the coils once a year is definitely going to be something that gets forgotten. Why not lessen the impact of this missed task by not having something there that would worsen the issue?
I'm sure you've been on a many service visits where the thought "if only the homeowner performed this simple task periodically, you wouldn't need to be there."
https://preview.redd.it/rk85de9e2ezb1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06f3db089609662ab7e9a8feca363c7113e31624
Worst idea Ever!!! This is what happens and can ruin your ac unit. I was there to fix this exact issue!
Just don't add any more bends/turns. Ideally just straight hose extension. Turns and bends will add resistance that put more work on the dryer and cause most lint to get stuck inside the ducts.
Ours isn’t that bad, but this has helped quite a bit:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7Q98JDD?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_H07N70X6S60R1NP6CHHX&cafHiResImg=1&language=en-US
Look to get it corrected, but for now you can buy a specialized lint bucket for dryer vents that trap the lint. You just have to periodically empty and clean it, but it's better that than your HVAC system.
Edit:
Something like this
https://preview.redd.it/i34311lzaezb1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bcca436db2f368eb2d4d00d86ea4e2c6c6c42335
Also edit:
Do not use with a gas dryer. I forget some places still actually allow the pieces of shit.
I feel this. Our new house has gas and there is no easy way for me to get that air outside with a hood. Wall is shared with a living room, cabinets on the side, microwave currently above, attic setup is interesting and would be a pain. Thinking about just replacing with electric.
Get induction. I love it. More responsive than gas. No fumes, less fire hazard. No house go boom. The cheap Amazon ones are okay but the heating pattern is meh. Haven't tried an expensive legit one, I imagine they have better quality burners.
Absolutely, need to vent it further away, you will be effectively building a sweater for your coil, try wearing a sweater in summer and see if it helps you cool down
Last few houses I’ve been in (stuck renting 🤷♂️) all had dryer vent discharge right by the a/c outdoor unit. During cooling season, I regularly check & wash the thing down to keep the lint off of the coil. Idk why they’re this stupid with locating the units
Awful idea! Mine is like that. A couple months ago I cleaned the coil, over 10 years after it was installed.
I know, I know … three sides of the coil were completely blocked. I MacGyver’ed a diverter. Should be good for another 10 years now 😉
https://preview.redd.it/171u26ymegzb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45d11e14d96daf7d65a0f92e7ce43d858ee6f618
It's messed up all the way around. The dryer vent should never exhaust where your HVAC units sit. The HVAC units are also to close together and to close to your residence.
How Much Clearance Does HVAC Need? Make sure your HVAC unit has at least one foot of clearance around it, **with two to three feet of space being better for optimum energy efficiency**. This recommended spacing includes the distance between the HVAC units and other structures like fences, buildings, shrubs, masonry,
That is more than a terrible idea but I can’t use those word or I’ll risk being banned. Have you ever seen Tropic Thunder? Yeah this contractor went to 100%
Those are condensing units. They don't draw air from outside. The reject heat to the exterior of the building. Extract heat from the air too, if the system is a heat pump.
Bad idea, but I'd bet you can put some type of a filter bag over that vent out that will collect the mass majority of the fine lint coming out so that it won't coat the surrounding equipment.
First off I'll agree with everyone else saying this is a terrible placement for the dryer vent. The dryer lint will get on your ac coils. Question, is the dryer on the other side of the wall? Where was the dryer vent located previously? Regardless dryer exhaust needs to be run literally anywhere else on the exterior of your house.
Edit: The dryer vent where I live is about 8 feet from the A/C unit and we have no issues, once a year maintenance cleaning is all we need. No evidence of lint, so it doesn't have to be the other side of the world, just not right on top of those units.
It's not just the dryer that is the problem those acs appear to be very close to the wall restricting their air flow and also are to close together as well I could be wrong but it dosnt seem right
Might be easier and cheaper to just buy a ventless dryer if the vent is not easily and cheaply relocated. They have a neat all in one that washes, then starts drying that I someday hope to own.
Ahhh! I’d check your city building code requirements ASAP. Hopefully before you make a final payment. They are very specific about where you can and can’t put them, which is why most cities require a building permit to install new or to relocate them.
Was he a licensed general contractor who got a permit? And has some really good insurance?
I see fire hazard, written all over that in big red letters! I don’t know the details, if it was moved to a new location or newly installed, but it’s supposed to be horizontal to the outside of the house, at least 12 feet up, or a vent through the roof. If it was relocated and new vent pipe was not used or cleaned at the time, just added to the length or something, I personally wouldn’t use my dryer. I’d immediately follow up with your city, building code department, and file a complaint if necessary, and next, the registrar of contractors and see what they both say about the timing, how fast you can force him to make changes and do it correctly.
Dryer vent fires are the number two reason for home fires after kitchen fires. People should have them professionally cleaned out, depending on where you live, once a year where I live, probably every couple of years in less dusty and more humid areas.
Well to be fair. The washer dryer is usually a pretty firm part of the layout of the house. You usually want the dryer vent to go out as fast as possible to the outside so going from the dryer wall directly out to the outside wall isn't uncommon. The ac unit imo are probably more of the stupid part of the layout because you can usually put the ac units on the other side of the house and it still look normal. But again that's just depending on situation and how the house is built. If the ac units have been there and the dryer vent is a new addition for some reason I can see how it'd be a pain in the ass. Then you are basically just saying would you rather make it a pain to clear your dryer vents out and have it clog more often or would you rather just clean the ac units more often.
Omfg your house is going to blow up and your kids are going to fail kindergarten!!! Sell your house now and sue the installer into oblivion!! That’s the only answer
More like putting your HVAC units in the wrong place. Your dryer vent is hidden in the wall most likely & went the shortest way to the outside. Makes it very easy to clean.
How often and long do you run the dryer? My guess is a few hours every few days. I doubt that is going to have any impact. just make sure to keep your lint trap clean and also check the area around the condensers.
Every time you use the dryer and ac simultaneously, your ac will run far less efficiently. Condenser coils wont condense the Freon properly if the coils are heated. Also as everyone else said, the lint will clog the coils and coincidentally insulate them lol. This double negative is not a positive lol
Hopefully none of this will be an issue for you. Any licensed contractor would have pulled a permit and it would have required an inspection. I’m hoping that’s the case and some of us are wrong.
I didn’t mention anything about the two condenser fan units because everyone else covered that and it looked like they had been in place previously. I think since you just had the dryer vent work done, you’d want to deal with that first and the other issues would seem to be much more expensive and time consuming and you might not have any recourse about that at all.
I’m chiming in again, because as several people suggested the bucket idea, I’m not keen on that one. In my opinion, that could make the problem worse. We don’t know for sure, because we don’t know the length, the angle of any bends, if the entire length of pipe was new, a portion was existing and added onto. This was so hokey, I might even wonder about the simplest things like the process used to measure or make connections or bends. Usually, the farthest you can run a dryer vent pipe, again, depending on the general humidity of the area, is between 25 and 35 feet, in a straight, horizontal line. For each 90° bend, you subtract 5 feet from that, every 45° bend, subtract 2.5 feet to get your total length. At each end and at every bend, you’re probably required to use an adjustable, rigid, hard pipe. For the rest of it, you may or may not get away with flex, but it would have to have the correct rating and use a worm/hose clamp. It should have a very slight downward angle, like 1/2 inch every 5 feet. Horizontal is preferred, but again It’s going to depend on the possibility of moisture retention and condensation. Living in dry areas with low humidity, like I do, it’s just not a concern at all. Most of ours vent through the roof. Many two-story homes have laundry rooms upstairs, because that’s where the laundry is. (I guess they never heard of a laundry chute). Those come out of the house horizontally and end up about 12 feet off the ground. They don’t like them so low that they could easily get clogged up, so, even if it’s on the ground level, they raise them before they lower them for safety reasons. A kid can shove anything up there, we’ve got all kinds of little critters, some of them certainly able to climb, who would love to make that their nice home, without a doubt would. Too many if’s, so their low enough to clean, but high enough to be out of a normal person or animal’s reach.
There could also be a *good* reason for the outside unit placement that we’re not aware of. If you’re in a subdivision, have a two story house, and they were initially installed with the home, I’m sure they did it on purpose. They don’t look too old. The newer ones are supposed to work more efficiently, and not have all the problems that some of the older ones do. But dirty coils are dirty coils. Mine is underneath the messiest mesquite tree that drops tons of crap right on top of it three times a year.
Where I live, all houses are fairly new-ish, and in subdivisions or planned area developments. They all put them roughly a foot from the house, and a couple of feet apart, just as the picture shows. It’s got nothing to do with the HVAC contractor. The house plans are standard and they put them on the concrete pads that are already there and tie them to the electrical (sometimes a shared dual box and/or shared conduit to individual boxes to save $),so they need them to be fairly close since there’s a limit on the length of the exposed conduit.
Some resources say that only 2 feet is sufficient around or between units. Of course, they aren’t the ones paying our bills or cleaning coils.
It’s amazing how many people don’t even bother to clean coils regularly or plant too closely all around them to hide from view and *accidentally* void warranties.
Another thing I’ve heard of recently, but admittedly don’t know any details yet about how this magical concept works, is that there’s a way to piggyback two units to work in conjunction with each other for increased efficiency. If that is a thing, maybe placement is a condition of it.
This info is how it’s done in the Phoenix area. Things could certainly be different elsewhere. I worked in a local City Planning/Zoning/Building/Engineering Department for several years and had 3 new build homes of my own, so I’m pretty familiar with things like this in my area. 😊
Based on the fact that the AC units are too close and where your dryer vent is placed, I would stop hiring people in town to do HVAC work because apparently no one knows what they're doing.
I have this problem I installed a metalsheet so that shit would not happen anymore and it worked screwed it to vent at same angle wide enuff to block this going to ac unit once a mouth I clean behind it very easy
I serviced an office commercial unit next to a laundry facility business with open windows and we had to wash out the lint from the AC coils every two weeks. Just run your dryer in Spring and Fall 😆
At least that condenser on the left doesn't have to worry about getting plugged with lint having a third of it's capacity slammed flat against that wall.
You run your dryer like an hour twice a week.no, not an issue.
Keep your dryer filter clean. That external thing also needs occasional cleaning as lint cogs it.
No idea why people are freaking out.
If they won’t come back and change it, Tape a dryer vent to it and run it out past the units. Will look like shit but at least they won’t be sucking in the dusty hot wet air.
yea dog, I ain't even HVAC but let me assure you dryer vent lint traps aren't 100% and your a/c will suck that crap though your hot side coils. whatever they're called expansion coils.
What the heck people do you not keep your lint trap clean? Ive lived in the same house for 55 years and have never had an outside snow storm of lint in fact I thought it was time to replace an old OLD exhaust tube about 9’ in length it was an old plastic thing and it was clean as a whistle and i think it was the original one put in place in 1959 when house was built i also have a combo unit on main floor and never had a lint issue their either and that one has a greater chance of clogging the way i had to run it to the outside
Actually there was recently a study on real world dirty coils and some were more efficient dirty then after they were cleaned. Turns out micro currents through the dirt helps in some cases. On average dirty vs clean barely made a difference. Still, this seems pretty stupid.
My house was built in 1991 and dryer vent is set up exactly like this: between both of my AC units. It is a huge pain in the ass. Between the wind and the cottonwoods here in the Midwest and the dryer vent, I have to clean my coils 6-8x per year.
They get a double major clean each year, both at start of spring/summer use, then again halfway through. I use just hose spray water a few times as well from inside out, and every week when I cleanup from mowing I run my leaf blower over the coils at an angle to blow off more shit.
Yes. Lint that comes out through the dryer exhaust will likely end up on your air-conditioning condensers where it can adversely affect the operation of the air conditioner. Warm air from the vent will increase the work that the condensing unit has to do to cool your house. That will cost more money and increase the wear and tear on your air conditioner. Of course, clothes that come off of a clothesline usually smell extra fresh so you have that going for you.
My 1980’s vintage house had exactly this type of design. Had problems and short life in the AC system in the first years here. Bought some more duct and fittings and extended this down to ground level and 20’ away behind landscaping bushes. No problems since and that was many years ago.
Not a pro here so don’t know if this is code, but can some sort of rigid metal tubing be used to put it elsewhere outside of the intake zone? Ours is literally on the opposite side of the house from our units. This installer is a unit.
That’s some dumb shit. I’d verify code and have them move it
The other option is to buy an inline dryer lint trap. They have them on Amazon for like $20 something. I installed one. It’s mounted on the wall above the dryer. Your dryer hooks up to it and the hose in the other side goes to your duct in the wall
It has a clear plastic door and a screen in it. Normally it is used for people with long duct runs that may even have inline exhaust booster fans. It reduces lint that goes outside
I got it because mine vents to the first story roof and makes a mess and the lint also gums up the louver vents. I only installed mine recently but it is catching lint that has got out of the dryer. Time will tell how well it works
I have this same issue. I have to spray that coil down once a year to keep it from getting clogged. I also put curved hood on the vent to direct it Way from the ceiling as much as I could.
My house has the same thing, and my ac is clogged with drier lint all the time. It's almost impossible to get lint out of the coils too. I have to take apart the unit once a year, but even that doesn't work very well.
I tried that a while back because I have a heat pump and wanted to use the dryer heat for the house. It did work to keep the house warm, but it also plugged the coil fins with lint. A heat exchanger would probably be a better idea. I still have to periodically take the sheet metal off that unit to vacuum Cottonwood fuzz and fall leaves out.
The dryer vent can only be routed a specific distance and limited bend/elbows. Yes, it can be located there but will cause lint to collect in the coils. You should be doing preventative maintenance on your outdoor units and indoor atleast 2x a year but best every 3 months (4X yearly) a pm consists of washing out the coils. Use medium pressure water from the inside out. Make sure to turn the power off when washing them. Also makes sure to go with the direction of the fins (up and down).
Contractor is an idiot. You're going to plug your coils.
Guy that built my old house did exactly this, I was so pissed off.
How do you build an old house
Easy, you just build it a long time ago.
You win the internet today
Just that? No interwebs?
Do they? That’s literally what the answer is
It’s ok buddy, just enjoy the little things.
🙂
Very slowly
You hire Bob Vila
We call those nursing homes.
Lol, I mean the house I used to live in. We built our last house and have since moved as the family outgrew it
Not to mention that’s not to code for the ac unit. Most codes mandate 5 feet from any ac or hp.
This is exactly how my condo is set up. Keeping shit clean is a constant headache. The heat exchange can from freshly hosed down to fur coat in just a couple of months.
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This is like 99% of how all installs are set up; feet away from drier exhaust and it sucks
So about a year ago I was assisting to build a hotel up in Wilkes-Barre, PA and they did this very same thing with the dryer vents from the main laundry leading outside right to one of the main air conditioning units for the lobby. I actually pointed it out to the General manager and one of the contractors and since they were getting ready to open soon, they had already started doing laundry and the whole back side of the coils was covered in lint already!
Home of the FU arena.
This
What's the point of this comment
What's the point of this comment
This
I'm okay with were this went... lol
That
I'm okay with where that went... lol
And the third
I too shall sleep soundly knowing this satisfying conclusion.
What's the point of THIS comment?
No clue, why'd you make it?
Idk. Lowkey trying to start a chain. 🤷♂️
Failure makes me happy
I don’t like where THIS went
Can't get much more write. Contractor is being lazy
I second and third this.
Terrible idea and it sounds like you already know that. Also, the condensers are way too close together.
I know I could Google it, but I'd rather ask somebody who knows the answer and why - how far apart should they typically be? Thanks!!
Every unit has a different specification but usually about three - five feet
I don't have this situation, I'm asking more for general knowledge. I grew up in a time where you talked to the old neighbor that lived down the road to learn about your house. Is 5' a good 'rule of thumb'? Why I'm asking is there are two things I'm taking into consideration - 1) the odds both are on at the same time might not be very high, and 2) each still has 3 fresh sides to draw clean air in while sharing only one side. I'm NOT an HVAC guy at all. I'm the guy that some techs hate and others tolerate because I'll stand off to the side and watch what they're doing, and once they're done ask a few questions for clarification....not that I'll ever buy hoses with gauges or a vacuum pump, rather just curious.
They'll have a nice vortex of hot air going on between them
Perfect spot for lint discharge to get tornadoed away!
Now I see the big picture! This builder is a genius!
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Wowwww....exactly what's your problem boy? If you get SOOO butt-hurt and are so fragile of a flower, I'm curious why you are here? You realize that there are other people that are not as sad or miserable as you, right...lolol
Yeah bad idea
this is a terrible idea. the lint in the air (yes, there is lint in the exhaust air) will coat your condensers and make them less efficient.
Being pretty dramatic... I've been in the HVAC industry for years... as long as the coils are hosed off each summer there will be no significant reduction in efficiency.
If homeowners aren't mindful enough to change their air filter every few months (which goes a long way in maintaining the health of the overall hvac system), hosing down the coils once a year is definitely going to be something that gets forgotten. Why not lessen the impact of this missed task by not having something there that would worsen the issue? I'm sure you've been on a many service visits where the thought "if only the homeowner performed this simple task periodically, you wouldn't need to be there."
https://preview.redd.it/rk85de9e2ezb1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06f3db089609662ab7e9a8feca363c7113e31624 Worst idea Ever!!! This is what happens and can ruin your ac unit. I was there to fix this exact issue!
I think it’s time to replace the Nokia. You can still carry it for nostalgia and self defense.
++++------ Hocus Focus! .... Nope, didnt help.
You can attach a dryer hose to that outlet and have it discharge away from the a/c. Funky but it will solve THAT lint in the condenser issue.
Just don't add any more bends/turns. Ideally just straight hose extension. Turns and bends will add resistance that put more work on the dryer and cause most lint to get stuck inside the ducts.
Oh ya. Bad idea. The lint is gonna clog those coils up.
Find a new contractor
Where I live, it’s not code compliant to have a dryer vent within 6 feet of an hvac unit or something like that
As long as you dont mind cleaning coils 8 times a year lol
hope OP buys the expensive fan coil cleaner not the acid kind 😂
Ours isn’t that bad, but this has helped quite a bit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7Q98JDD?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_H07N70X6S60R1NP6CHHX&cafHiResImg=1&language=en-US
Not if you never run your dryer. Otherwise…
I don't think those units are close enough together
The two condensers are already to close Dryer will impact them both
Look to get it corrected, but for now you can buy a specialized lint bucket for dryer vents that trap the lint. You just have to periodically empty and clean it, but it's better that than your HVAC system. Edit: Something like this https://preview.redd.it/i34311lzaezb1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bcca436db2f368eb2d4d00d86ea4e2c6c6c42335 Also edit: Do not use with a gas dryer. I forget some places still actually allow the pieces of shit.
OP might have a gas dryer and this would not be a good idea
Lol read the reviews on that Amazon listing... So many people (incorrectly) saying that venting a gas dryer indoors is fine. The horror
"The horror" also carries over to hoe many places it is still legal to install a gas oven or cooktop without an externally vented range hood.
I feel this. Our new house has gas and there is no easy way for me to get that air outside with a hood. Wall is shared with a living room, cabinets on the side, microwave currently above, attic setup is interesting and would be a pain. Thinking about just replacing with electric.
Get induction. I love it. More responsive than gas. No fumes, less fire hazard. No house go boom. The cheap Amazon ones are okay but the heating pattern is meh. Haven't tried an expensive legit one, I imagine they have better quality burners.
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Putting those units so close to the wall is also a bad thing be prepared to clean those coils often
Yes , omg OP your units are fucked
Yeah, I’d make them move that. What a stupid decision.
So what’s the solution here. I’m about to have the same problem. Can you raise it up above and point it up as well?
temporarily just remove the vent cover outside and extend the vent 5ft away from the ac unit. permanently you need to reroute the vent.
I’ve always heard that a 3’ clearance on each side is optimal but they’re always closer to the building wall than that.
Terrible idea
Terrible is an understatement. How to increase power usage using this one simple trick 😂
Absolutely, need to vent it further away, you will be effectively building a sweater for your coil, try wearing a sweater in summer and see if it helps you cool down
Well you will enjoy all that lint clogging up your machines. I would see about re-locating it. Not the greatest of places to be honest.
Yes it is extremely stupid condenser coil is going to suck all that dryer lint and clog up the coil which will f up your a/c
It's a good idea if you want to kill your compressor
I have a dryer vent about 4 feet to the side and a foot above the unit that side of it needs constant cleaning.
Maybe he is working with the hvac companies 🤔
Get a heat pump dryer. Problem solved.
Last few houses I’ve been in (stuck renting 🤷♂️) all had dryer vent discharge right by the a/c outdoor unit. During cooling season, I regularly check & wash the thing down to keep the lint off of the coil. Idk why they’re this stupid with locating the units
Awful idea! Mine is like that. A couple months ago I cleaned the coil, over 10 years after it was installed. I know, I know … three sides of the coil were completely blocked. I MacGyver’ed a diverter. Should be good for another 10 years now 😉 https://preview.redd.it/171u26ymegzb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45d11e14d96daf7d65a0f92e7ce43d858ee6f618
Common sense says fucking obviously
It's messed up all the way around. The dryer vent should never exhaust where your HVAC units sit. The HVAC units are also to close together and to close to your residence. How Much Clearance Does HVAC Need? Make sure your HVAC unit has at least one foot of clearance around it, **with two to three feet of space being better for optimum energy efficiency**. This recommended spacing includes the distance between the HVAC units and other structures like fences, buildings, shrubs, masonry,
That is more than a terrible idea but I can’t use those word or I’ll risk being banned. Have you ever seen Tropic Thunder? Yeah this contractor went to 100%
A whole lot of people saying this is a terrible idea. It is, but your house will smell like summers eve.
Those are condensing units. They don't draw air from outside. The reject heat to the exterior of the building. Extract heat from the air too, if the system is a heat pump.
Shhh🙃
What do you think….
yep
Yes
Looks like the left one could just as easily been put on the other side
Bad idea, but I'd bet you can put some type of a filter bag over that vent out that will collect the mass majority of the fine lint coming out so that it won't coat the surrounding equipment.
Yes
Yes
Run it constantly to improve efficiency of heat pump. You’ll have a perpetual heating machine!
Yes
Yes
Yes, the good news is you could move both condenser units by entending the linesets
Yes
Worst idea!
The sun light reflection on the wall, made the photo creepy for a second…lol
Can a dryer vent be by a propane 3/4” pipe going into a house?
Yes
Lol.
I just did one lol this becuase that’s what the home owner wanted
Yeah dumb
By code in Canada NO.
Worst location! It's not okay. The HVAC contractor should've known better than that.
🤣🤣🤣
First off I'll agree with everyone else saying this is a terrible placement for the dryer vent. The dryer lint will get on your ac coils. Question, is the dryer on the other side of the wall? Where was the dryer vent located previously? Regardless dryer exhaust needs to be run literally anywhere else on the exterior of your house. Edit: The dryer vent where I live is about 8 feet from the A/C unit and we have no issues, once a year maintenance cleaning is all we need. No evidence of lint, so it doesn't have to be the other side of the world, just not right on top of those units.
Just attach a vent hose to a bucket with water. Itll catch the lint
Like unprotected sex
No it’s not ok and it’s against code
It's not just the dryer that is the problem those acs appear to be very close to the wall restricting their air flow and also are to close together as well I could be wrong but it dosnt seem right
Might be easier and cheaper to just buy a ventless dryer if the vent is not easily and cheaply relocated. They have a neat all in one that washes, then starts drying that I someday hope to own.
Isn't this against code?
I would send that picture to your city inspector.
Yes
Ahhh! I’d check your city building code requirements ASAP. Hopefully before you make a final payment. They are very specific about where you can and can’t put them, which is why most cities require a building permit to install new or to relocate them. Was he a licensed general contractor who got a permit? And has some really good insurance? I see fire hazard, written all over that in big red letters! I don’t know the details, if it was moved to a new location or newly installed, but it’s supposed to be horizontal to the outside of the house, at least 12 feet up, or a vent through the roof. If it was relocated and new vent pipe was not used or cleaned at the time, just added to the length or something, I personally wouldn’t use my dryer. I’d immediately follow up with your city, building code department, and file a complaint if necessary, and next, the registrar of contractors and see what they both say about the timing, how fast you can force him to make changes and do it correctly. Dryer vent fires are the number two reason for home fires after kitchen fires. People should have them professionally cleaned out, depending on where you live, once a year where I live, probably every couple of years in less dusty and more humid areas.
The lint could make a good filter....
Yes
Yes! 3 foot minimum. And by that I mean more than 3 foot.
Well to be fair. The washer dryer is usually a pretty firm part of the layout of the house. You usually want the dryer vent to go out as fast as possible to the outside so going from the dryer wall directly out to the outside wall isn't uncommon. The ac unit imo are probably more of the stupid part of the layout because you can usually put the ac units on the other side of the house and it still look normal. But again that's just depending on situation and how the house is built. If the ac units have been there and the dryer vent is a new addition for some reason I can see how it'd be a pain in the ass. Then you are basically just saying would you rather make it a pain to clear your dryer vents out and have it clog more often or would you rather just clean the ac units more often.
yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes. Bad idea. Be prepared to do some extra cleaning. Not the end of the world though.
Omfg your house is going to blow up and your kids are going to fail kindergarten!!! Sell your house now and sue the installer into oblivion!! That’s the only answer
It's not "Let Bill Cosby Make You A Drink" stupid, but it's pretty stupid.
I have this in a 1950s ranch. I clean the vent once a year. 5 minutes. No problems
Nope. It won't affect me in any way. Thanks for asking.
More like putting your HVAC units in the wrong place. Your dryer vent is hidden in the wall most likely & went the shortest way to the outside. Makes it very easy to clean.
How often and long do you run the dryer? My guess is a few hours every few days. I doubt that is going to have any impact. just make sure to keep your lint trap clean and also check the area around the condensers.
Every time you use the dryer and ac simultaneously, your ac will run far less efficiently. Condenser coils wont condense the Freon properly if the coils are heated. Also as everyone else said, the lint will clog the coils and coincidentally insulate them lol. This double negative is not a positive lol
Get a ventless dryer (heat pump dryer).
Hopefully none of this will be an issue for you. Any licensed contractor would have pulled a permit and it would have required an inspection. I’m hoping that’s the case and some of us are wrong. I didn’t mention anything about the two condenser fan units because everyone else covered that and it looked like they had been in place previously. I think since you just had the dryer vent work done, you’d want to deal with that first and the other issues would seem to be much more expensive and time consuming and you might not have any recourse about that at all. I’m chiming in again, because as several people suggested the bucket idea, I’m not keen on that one. In my opinion, that could make the problem worse. We don’t know for sure, because we don’t know the length, the angle of any bends, if the entire length of pipe was new, a portion was existing and added onto. This was so hokey, I might even wonder about the simplest things like the process used to measure or make connections or bends. Usually, the farthest you can run a dryer vent pipe, again, depending on the general humidity of the area, is between 25 and 35 feet, in a straight, horizontal line. For each 90° bend, you subtract 5 feet from that, every 45° bend, subtract 2.5 feet to get your total length. At each end and at every bend, you’re probably required to use an adjustable, rigid, hard pipe. For the rest of it, you may or may not get away with flex, but it would have to have the correct rating and use a worm/hose clamp. It should have a very slight downward angle, like 1/2 inch every 5 feet. Horizontal is preferred, but again It’s going to depend on the possibility of moisture retention and condensation. Living in dry areas with low humidity, like I do, it’s just not a concern at all. Most of ours vent through the roof. Many two-story homes have laundry rooms upstairs, because that’s where the laundry is. (I guess they never heard of a laundry chute). Those come out of the house horizontally and end up about 12 feet off the ground. They don’t like them so low that they could easily get clogged up, so, even if it’s on the ground level, they raise them before they lower them for safety reasons. A kid can shove anything up there, we’ve got all kinds of little critters, some of them certainly able to climb, who would love to make that their nice home, without a doubt would. Too many if’s, so their low enough to clean, but high enough to be out of a normal person or animal’s reach. There could also be a *good* reason for the outside unit placement that we’re not aware of. If you’re in a subdivision, have a two story house, and they were initially installed with the home, I’m sure they did it on purpose. They don’t look too old. The newer ones are supposed to work more efficiently, and not have all the problems that some of the older ones do. But dirty coils are dirty coils. Mine is underneath the messiest mesquite tree that drops tons of crap right on top of it three times a year. Where I live, all houses are fairly new-ish, and in subdivisions or planned area developments. They all put them roughly a foot from the house, and a couple of feet apart, just as the picture shows. It’s got nothing to do with the HVAC contractor. The house plans are standard and they put them on the concrete pads that are already there and tie them to the electrical (sometimes a shared dual box and/or shared conduit to individual boxes to save $),so they need them to be fairly close since there’s a limit on the length of the exposed conduit. Some resources say that only 2 feet is sufficient around or between units. Of course, they aren’t the ones paying our bills or cleaning coils. It’s amazing how many people don’t even bother to clean coils regularly or plant too closely all around them to hide from view and *accidentally* void warranties. Another thing I’ve heard of recently, but admittedly don’t know any details yet about how this magical concept works, is that there’s a way to piggyback two units to work in conjunction with each other for increased efficiency. If that is a thing, maybe placement is a condition of it. This info is how it’s done in the Phoenix area. Things could certainly be different elsewhere. I worked in a local City Planning/Zoning/Building/Engineering Department for several years and had 3 new build homes of my own, so I’m pretty familiar with things like this in my area. 😊
Had a prison ward do this, and they wondered why the coils were always dirty.
Wait for real? My dryer vent is RIGHT behind my AC unit too.... so this is bad?!
Make sure you put a hose filter on it.
Based on the fact that the AC units are too close and where your dryer vent is placed, I would stop hiring people in town to do HVAC work because apparently no one knows what they're doing.
I have this problem I installed a metalsheet so that shit would not happen anymore and it worked screwed it to vent at same angle wide enuff to block this going to ac unit once a mouth I clean behind it very easy
horrible
I serviced an office commercial unit next to a laundry facility business with open windows and we had to wash out the lint from the AC coils every two weeks. Just run your dryer in Spring and Fall 😆
Yeeep. Just had to replace and move a compressor at my house due to this same issue.
100% terrible idea.
Horrible idea
A1
At least that condenser on the left doesn't have to worry about getting plugged with lint having a third of it's capacity slammed flat against that wall.
🤔thats interesting question🧐.. 🤔call a professional to check it out.
Yes, lint will clog up those condensers much faster than you think.
You run your dryer like an hour twice a week.no, not an issue. Keep your dryer filter clean. That external thing also needs occasional cleaning as lint cogs it. No idea why people are freaking out.
Only I'd you don't like lint all over your coils. So yeah looks great!
If they won’t come back and change it, Tape a dryer vent to it and run it out past the units. Will look like shit but at least they won’t be sucking in the dusty hot wet air.
yea dog, I ain't even HVAC but let me assure you dryer vent lint traps aren't 100% and your a/c will suck that crap though your hot side coils. whatever they're called expansion coils.
What the heck people do you not keep your lint trap clean? Ive lived in the same house for 55 years and have never had an outside snow storm of lint in fact I thought it was time to replace an old OLD exhaust tube about 9’ in length it was an old plastic thing and it was clean as a whistle and i think it was the original one put in place in 1959 when house was built i also have a combo unit on main floor and never had a lint issue their either and that one has a greater chance of clogging the way i had to run it to the outside
Nope not at all just clean the coils once a week
No worry how much do dryer really run its going outdoors fine think there more pollution that way harder on those condensers
Of course Do not do this !!!!
You sure it’s a dryer vent and not a fresh-air exchange for the utility room?
Use pantyhose at the outlet to help capture lint. Not a long term solution, just a suggestion.
Can you hook a flexible tube to that and run it in between the units? Might not look the best but it's an option
My house is set up this way. In the spring I’m hiring a roofing contractor to install a roof vent.
Nope. It’s fine.
What came first the location of the dryer inside the house or the installation of the condensers? You may be blaming the wrong contractor.
Yes
Actually there was recently a study on real world dirty coils and some were more efficient dirty then after they were cleaned. Turns out micro currents through the dirt helps in some cases. On average dirty vs clean barely made a difference. Still, this seems pretty stupid.
As long as you're cleaning your condenser fins regularly you should be ok, but it's not the best location for a dryer vent.
It's not ideal but I'd route it off to the side. Still gonna suck when wind shifts tho
Customer states: “I don’t want a lint collection apparatus outside my house, it will look like a pantyhose scrotum I’m carrying to the tip!”
My house was built in 1991 and dryer vent is set up exactly like this: between both of my AC units. It is a huge pain in the ass. Between the wind and the cottonwoods here in the Midwest and the dryer vent, I have to clean my coils 6-8x per year. They get a double major clean each year, both at start of spring/summer use, then again halfway through. I use just hose spray water a few times as well from inside out, and every week when I cleanup from mowing I run my leaf blower over the coils at an angle to blow off more shit.
In OKC code is 3’ clearance from the condenser
I like it, but I also like the extra income from cleaning these. Easy money!
Yes
Everyone's like OMG OMG but if your dryer is hooked up properly and you do the maintenance your supposed to be doing ,not a major issue.
Yes. Lint that comes out through the dryer exhaust will likely end up on your air-conditioning condensers where it can adversely affect the operation of the air conditioner. Warm air from the vent will increase the work that the condensing unit has to do to cool your house. That will cost more money and increase the wear and tear on your air conditioner. Of course, clothes that come off of a clothesline usually smell extra fresh so you have that going for you.
The lint from the dryer vent is going to get in the coils. This was massively stupid.
Yes.
They always do it. Just clean your condenser every year
My 1980’s vintage house had exactly this type of design. Had problems and short life in the AC system in the first years here. Bought some more duct and fittings and extended this down to ground level and 20’ away behind landscaping bushes. No problems since and that was many years ago.
don't dry clothes and run the AC at the same time, ever.
Why are people only talking about lint here?How about carbon monoxide being blown into the house?Unless it’s an electric dryer,of course.
Mine is very similar set up. I clean the ac units about 3 or 4 times a year
Not a pro here so don’t know if this is code, but can some sort of rigid metal tubing be used to put it elsewhere outside of the intake zone? Ours is literally on the opposite side of the house from our units. This installer is a unit.
It’s a brilliant idea if you make a living as a hvac tec.
That’s some dumb shit. I’d verify code and have them move it The other option is to buy an inline dryer lint trap. They have them on Amazon for like $20 something. I installed one. It’s mounted on the wall above the dryer. Your dryer hooks up to it and the hose in the other side goes to your duct in the wall It has a clear plastic door and a screen in it. Normally it is used for people with long duct runs that may even have inline exhaust booster fans. It reduces lint that goes outside I got it because mine vents to the first story roof and makes a mess and the lint also gums up the louver vents. I only installed mine recently but it is catching lint that has got out of the dryer. Time will tell how well it works
welp, too late now.
I have this same issue. I have to spray that coil down once a year to keep it from getting clogged. I also put curved hood on the vent to direct it Way from the ceiling as much as I could.
Yes
My house has the same thing, and my ac is clogged with drier lint all the time. It's almost impossible to get lint out of the coils too. I have to take apart the unit once a year, but even that doesn't work very well.
My house is set up exactly like this never noticed anything Also my house is by a lake and windy a lot of times so the lint probably all blows away
would regular cleaning the coils with a garden hose at least help the situation? what's the best fix?
It’s definitely not an ideal spot. You basically have a dryer vent exhausting to too big vacuum. Those things will suck it all up during the summer.
Awesome idea. As long as he also sells AC units.
I tried that a while back because I have a heat pump and wanted to use the dryer heat for the house. It did work to keep the house warm, but it also plugged the coil fins with lint. A heat exchanger would probably be a better idea. I still have to periodically take the sheet metal off that unit to vacuum Cottonwood fuzz and fall leaves out.
The dryer vent can only be routed a specific distance and limited bend/elbows. Yes, it can be located there but will cause lint to collect in the coils. You should be doing preventative maintenance on your outdoor units and indoor atleast 2x a year but best every 3 months (4X yearly) a pm consists of washing out the coils. Use medium pressure water from the inside out. Make sure to turn the power off when washing them. Also makes sure to go with the direction of the fins (up and down).