Mailbag: Supplying Outside Combustion Air for a Gas Dryer

Constantin von Wentzel wrote:

You maintain a great site! However, it doesn’t answer my question, and my quest to look through the product manuals that came with my dryer do not indicate an answer either…

Here then my question, Sensei: Is it possible to hook up a Frigidaire dryer to be a sealed combustion appliance, i.e. isolate it from the house air?

Our model is a private-label Kenmore, but that shouldn’t make any difference (the only “difference” AFAICT being the control panel)

Cheers!

Constantin

~ ~ I love sailing!
~ ~ www.vonwentzel.net

Well, one solution is run the dryer inside an airlock chamber. Alternatively, if your goal is to simply avoid using your already-heated household air for primary combustion air for the burner, there is an economical and commonly-employed approach. Run a second 4″ diameter duct to convey outside air to the burner. Typically, this air supply duct would be connected to the dryer at a side port. You would need to cut the side port in the dryer with a 4″ hole saw. You may also want to install a manually-operated flapper inside the duct that you could close when you’re not using the dryer.