Green Daily

Growing up on a farm in Montana years ago, we did something similar to this. We would tie a piece of old pantyhose (to trap extra lint) to the end of the dryer exhaust hose and let the warm air blow into the utility room. It was great during the winter months. We would block off the hole in the exterior wall to keep the cold out until warm weather arrived then reattach the venting to the outside again. Cost: free

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My parents had one of these for years and my wife and I have one hooked up in our basement laundry room.
I think it helps keep the basement and the room directly above it a little warmer. I don't think it is dramatic, but in the midwest, I can't hang our clothes out in the winter, so we have to use the dryer and every little bit helps.

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I recently installed a "heat keeper" to my dryer and so far I'm happy with it. I noticed whenever the dryer was on, the furnace would stay off regardless of the temperature outside. Although, I live in a smaller townhouse, I think any size of house could see a benefit, especially if you have children. I hear most dryers use an average of 4000 watts, to put that into perspective that's roughly equal to the power used by 3 space heaters. The moisture it produces is a benefit in the dry winters here in Colorado. However, after buying it I realized anyone with a little know how could make one themselves, by reusing some simple materials found around the house, or just use pantyhose as mentioned above.

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I can say that this is a useful thing to have. The installation was easy. One should recognize that you will likely have to replace your venting to the outside to accommodate installation, which is a good thing to do every few years. From a warmth factor, it does make a nominal difference (your experience will vary with how big of a space your dryer vent vents into). I imagine that within a small enough space one would see a fairly good boost in temperature. Moreover, why would you push hot air outside during the cold winter months anyway? It blows the damp air into my basement which is a very dry space, doubling the utility of the dryer. Plus, the constant smell of clean laundry in the air is pleasant. I would recommend this inexpensive and smart upgrade to anyone.

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oops
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2336507

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This is a really bad idea. If someone doesn't read the directions and uses it on a gas dryer they will be adding carbon monoxide to their home. Even with an electric dryer you are adding moisture and indoor air polution of fine particulates. There is a reason dryers are vented outside. The heat gain is minimal. Spend your money on better/more insulation and chaulking and sealing cracks. See this article.
http://www.state.mn.us/mn/externalDocs/Commerce/Home_Moisture_110802041415_Moisture.pdf

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