Tumble dryer in a new build

andyd12

I am building a house soon with UFH, MVHR etc

Is a Tumble dryer really needed in a house with likes? I am thinking the heat and ventilation will be adequate to dry clothes & laundry quite quickly

XLR 8

Drying clothes indoors is a recipe for disaster. You'll have black mould in no time. Use a condensor dryer or one that vents outside.

SodiumCooled

Tumble dryer is a 100% necessity in this country.

not everything can go in it of course so there are other options like wall mounted drying rack, even heated rack for those items. With MVHR drying inside shouldn’t be an issue as suggested in the above post.

Gusser09

Get one of the latest dryers with heat pump tech. If you have a wet room put your clothes airer in there to dry if needs be.

dmcdona

We have UFH and MHRV. The house is NZEB and airtight. BER A1.

No tumble drier. No mould. Washed clothes are popped onto a clothes horse in the utility room. Dry in less than 24 hrs. Been doing that for 3 years.

In fairness, there's only 2 of us. But herself is particular about clean clothes, sheets, towels etc. and we probably wash as many clothes etc. as a 4 person household.

sarah88

We also have recently built a house with MVHR. Clothes dry really quick on a clothes horse.

I think it might depend on how many people are in the house. We manage grand with washing generated by 2 people- but any extra and I might consider a dryer

homewardbound11

Would you not need a MHRV extract in the same room as the dryer to remove all the moisture .

dmcdona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121581997#Comment_121581997

Good point - we have extract and supply ducts to all rooms.

SodiumCooled

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121582024#Comment_121582024

Are you sure? That’s not how it’s normally set up? Some rooms are supply and some extract expect maybe the kitchen I think has both (extract in the kitchen area and supply on the open plan living area). I dont recall being in a house that has two ducts in a room other than kitchen.

dmcdona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121582161#Comment_121582161

Sorry - you're correct. All bathrooms are extract only. Kitchen has both. All other rooms supply only.

Leg End Reject

I've dried clothes on a clothes horse for years, don't have UFH or MHRV and never had mould.

The drier is used for bulky items like bed linen and towels only, everything else is dried on a clothes horse in winter/wet weather, and everything goes out on the clothes line when possible.

andyd12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121581367#Comment_121581367

Do you live in an airtight house?

andyd12

I don't see how mould can develop with an MVHR system.

Perhaps an idea would be to request that the utility has both supply and extract or extract only

MicktheMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058330032/tumble-dryer-in-a-new-build

As you are building a new house, build in a 'drying wardrobe' or 'drying caninet' in the utility room which has the mvhr extract in the top of it and a gap at the bottom of the doors to allow the utility room air to pass up through the clothes thus carrying the moisture away through the ventilation system. Can also be used to dry wet jackets, coats etc.

We've had something similar for years and works a treat.

thomas 123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121582290#Comment_121582290

If you are fortunate enough to have a utility it should also be extract only or both extract and supply

andyd12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121584554#Comment_121584554

Can you send a picture of the type you have? Is it big enough for large duvet covers?

MicktheMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121587039#Comment_121587039

Ours is in fact an old unused small sauna enclosure which was in the house before we bought it. All we had to do was to run one of the MVHR extracts to the top of it and install some horizontal poles for hanging the laundry. It takes double sheets / duvet covers no problem.

awec

You could get away without a dryer if you don't have kids, or you have a massive space where you can hang lots of clothes.

If you have kids, the clothes probably won't dry fast enough.

DrPsychia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058330032/tumble-dryer-in-a-new-build

I have a Bosch 9kg heat pump dryer and use it all the time, I absolutely love it. I can pack a good amount into it, and it dries perfectly, clothes never suffer heat shrink/damage like you normally would have it a condenser dryer. I keep ours in the utility room. My electricity bill is low despite using it regularly. I checked the humidity levels with a good quality sensor, using it indoors barely made a difference to the humidity levels in the room (1-2%). I highly recommend one if you don't want to bother hanging clothes on a clotheshorse.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058330032/tumble-dryer-in-a-new-build

What heat? Drying clothes indoors in ireland would take ages for most of the year, unless you are planning on lighting stove of fire to place them in from of. I live in a uch hotter climate and I have a dryer.

andyd12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121604789#Comment_121604789

UFH, underfloor heating.

andyd12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121589062#Comment_121589062

OK thanks but I don't have space to put in something of a small saunas size.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058330032/tumble-dryer-in-a-new-build

Heat pump tumble dryer

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121581367#Comment_121581367

They have heat recovery which means no black

andyd12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121584569#Comment_121584569

I looked at our MVHR initial designs again. The utility has extract only

sydthebeat

Nothing wrong with a tumble dryer with a sealed piped extract for steam.

thomas 123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121605057#Comment_121605057

That’s what we have and the standard i am sure. There is a 10mm gap under the doors to allow air circulate around the house.

try a Clothes horse and see how it goes! Let me know.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121604789#Comment_121604789

I leave clothes on the clothes horse and they dry overnight. The heating is on when it's cold and south facing rooms heat up in winter sun.

Not everything can be dried in a dryer unless you want to replace clothes after 1 or 2 wears - wool, delicates etc.