I’ve already ranted and complained about clothes dryers venting through the roof. It’s a dumb place to run your dryer duct, but it happens all the time, especially in new construction homes. The main problem is that dryer terminals need to be regularly cleaned, and most homeowners aren’t going to get up on their roof to do this.
I accept the fact that this is something I cannot change… but I also have some advice to make this situation a lot better: get a DryerJack terminal. I mentioned this at the end of my blog post about dryer vents going through the roof, but I have new information to share, and I’m going to make a much stronger case for installing a DryerJack terminal.
Most Dryer Terminals at the roof are WRONG
While there’s nothing in the code that prohibits a dryer from venting through the roof, there IS a relatively new requirement in the code book that makes most installations improper. Section M1502.3.1 (or 504.4.1 in Minnesota) of the Mechanical Code says that a dryer terminal “shall be undiminished in size and shall provide an open area of not less than 12.5 square inches.”
The dryer terminal shown in the photo above is the same terminal we find on almost every roof. It’s the ubiquitous Broan 636. This thing is a bath fan terminal, not a dryer terminal. It says so right on the package!
The photo I’m showing above could be from any house with a dryer venting through the roof. These types of terminals are not meant for clothes dryers, and they clog up quickly.
Get a DryerJack
The fine folks at InOvate® make products to boost clothes dryer safety and performance. They’re geeks about this stuff, and their products are in a category all on their own. I’ve known about the DryerJack and I’ve recommended it for a long time as a better alternative to the Broan 636, but I just recently discovered that the Broan 636 isn’t even supposed to be used with a clothes dryer. So now my recommendation gets stronger.
To do a side-by-side comparison, I asked the folks at InOvate® to send me a DryerJack.
I seriously wish I had recorded myself unboxing this product. I’ve always known it was a better product, but my jaw popped open and my eyes bugged out when I took this thing out of the box. While it costs more than other dryer terminals, you can instantly appreciate why:
- It’s heavy.
- The metal is thick.
- Larger than most dryer terminals.
- The flashing base is much wider.
- The damper is curved to match the lid’s profile.
- There is nothing for lint to catch on.
I won’t geek out about all of the airflow specs that make this a superior product to anything else on the market; if you want that information, check out their website: DryerJack Venting Efficiency
If I had a dryer that vented through the roof, I’d replace my dryer terminal with one of these immediately. This will lead to increased dryer performance, and I seriously wonder if this could ever get clogged with lint. I’ll bet you could install one of these on your roof and never have to get up there and clean it again. But that’s only a guess. I’ll probably find a friend or family member with a dryer venting through the roof so I can do a long-term experiment. I’ll get back to you on this in a few years.
Conclusion
Most dryer terminals at the roof are the wrong product and will quickly clog with lint. If you have a dryer that vents through the roof, consider having your vent terminal replaced with a DryerJack. For moderate climates, you’re safe going with the Low Profile model. For cold climates with a bunch of snow, I’d go with the Extra Clearance model.
If you’re having your roof replaced, spend a little extra money to have your dryer terminal replaced with a DryerJack at the same time.
If you’re a roofer, get yourself a box of these and insist on using them for all of your roof replacements.
And for the record, I have no arrangement with InOvate® to promote their products. They’re not paying me to write about their products or anything like that. The only compensation I’m getting is one (1) DryerJack. But if you order off of the Amazon links I provided above, I’ll get a small percentage of the sale.
Reuben Saltzman
