Why you should always vent your gas dryer outside

Has anyone ever told you that you should never vent a gas dryer inside of your home, or maybe failed to explain why? Well, let me do that for you.

Let's go ahead and say that this little tiny flame sitting on top of my Bunsen burner represents the flame that's inside of your gas dryer. It's important to understand that anytime we combust a fuel, such as natural gas or propane, we're going to have three major byproducts. The first one is going to be H2O, water. The second one is going to be CO2, that's going to be carbon dioxide. And the third and the most dangerous is going to be CO, carbon monoxide, aka the silent killer. Carbon monoxide is a tasteless, odorless gas, which is lighter than air and is created by the incomplete combustion of fuels. Common side effects from carbon monoxide poisoning can range from a simple headache to dizziness, loss of vision, or even complete loss of consciousness. While long-term exposure can lead to neurological disorders, such as difficulty even thinking or concentrating.

Let's go ahead and pretend that this beaker represents your home, and again, the Bunsen burner represents your gas dryer. We can see almost immediately that the inside of the beaker fills with condensation and/or moisture. And this is exactly what's happening inside your home if you're not venting your dryer outside. Not only will the excessive levels of moisture create molding issues in the future, but the longer this dryer is run, the lower the level of oxygen and the home becomes. The less oxygen in the home, the more incomplete combustion we have, resulting in higher levels of carbon monoxide. Each and every year, too many people around the world lose their lives to carbon monoxide poisoning. Please keep that dryer vented to the outside. And to keep your loved one safe, always have a carbon monoxide detector in the hallway outside of your bedrooms.