I’m always trying to find ways to save money. I always use a humidifier in the winter time in my home because then you can lower your thermostat for your heat a couple degrees and it still feels warmer. This also helps get rid of static electricity by having moisture in the air. This will also help with dry stuffy noses!
So using a humidifier in the cold months and lowering your heating thermostat a few more degrees will save you money on your heating bill whether it’s gas or electric and still keep you comfortable.
I was thinking what is something in my home that is wasting heat and moisture? I thought my clothes dryer. My clothes dryer creates a lot of heat and a lot of moisture and just routes all that good heat and good moisture I want to keep in my home outside! I started thinking of making a lint trap for inside my home and plugging off the original dryer vent that goes outside. After designing this in my head I thought I’d look around online and see if there are any products out there already that can accomplish this same task. I found many of these indoor dryer vents on Amazon.
I haven’t been able to calculate exactly how much money this saves yet, but I do know my furnace turns on less when I’m doing laundry. My humidifier turns on less as well. Eventually I want to route this heat and moisture from my clothes dryer into my furnace heating ducts so it goes throughout the entire house just as the furnace would normally do, but I haven’t gotten to this just yet.
Just a few things to watch for, this will create a great amount of moisture wherever your dryer is located. You will want to watch out for too much moisture and mold starting anywhere. If you do see signs of this you may want to only do this every other load of laundry. Have one load blow heat and moisture indoors, and the next load blow heat and moisture outdoors, and continue that to see if that solves your problems.
Some of the indoor dryer vents I found on Amazon need you to block off your dryer vent going outdoors and connect this device indoor only. Some other indoor dryer vents have a built in flap, where you can turn the knob to either have the heat and moisture blow indoors, or flip it the other way to blow the heat and moisture outdoors. If you do decide to use one that is strictly an indoor lint trap make sure you completely block off your original dryer vent that goes outdoors or you will feel cold air coming in from outside. If you purchase a dryer vent that has the flap on it so you can direct the heat and moisture indoors or outdoors I would suggest setting the flap to outdoors and make sure no cold air is coming inside. If you do feel cold air coming back into your house you may want to buy a more efficient dryer vent housing for outside your house that closes completely if the dryer is not running. You don’t want cold air coming back into your home. If using your current outdoors dryer vent and you pull clothes out of your dryer and they feel really cold, most likely you will want to purchase a more efficient outdoor dryer vent even if you don’t purchase one of these indoor lint traps.
WARNING: Do not using an indoor lint trap if you are using a gas dryer. I’m not 100% sure, but I think this may bring unwanted fumes and poisonous gasses into your home. I’m using an electric dryer with my indoor lint trap. I have not used or researched anything on gas dryers as far as fumes and gasses. Also remember to clean out your dryer’s internal lint trap and your indoor dryer vent lint trap after every load.