Closing in your dryer when in a small (24 x 12) work area

[screenxpress]

I've just about finished renovations and even with full insulation and paneling along with a 15,000 btu air unit, the heat from the dryer rolls out and starts taking over the conditioned air. 

My thought was to sort of wall off the dryer (kind of close) and have a small exhaust (bathroom type) fan to vent some of the heat outside.  But not strong enough to pull air from the dryer affecting cure. 

The concept would be to have a window where the belt feed intake would extend out to easily put on the shirts.  Place a door in the back to pull out the box of cured items, check temps, etc.

Electric dryer and it does have a working exhaust fan that is vented outside already.  Heat just rolls out of the intake and outtake openings.  I'd like to be comfortable.  Not cold, but not hot and I don't look good printing in tidy-whities.

Thoughts?  Pros / Cons?

[mk162]

Would you be best off getting an dryer exhaust for the end of the dryer?  That would suck the heat off the the tees coming out, and it would have enough draw to probably pull a little bit of heat through the dryer itself and solve the problem of heat escaping out the intake.

Then just vent that outside, problem solved.

[tpitman]

I've got a small AC unit in my garage, but I've given up on trying to fight the dryer and flash with a frosty breeze. I put a rooftop fan in and open 2 windows and a side door. It helps immeasurably, much cooler than my old commercial location, but still toasty. My flash puts out as much heat as the conveyor dryer. I hydrate myself with quantities of malted barley beverages so I pretty much don't care.

[mk162]

I am thinking about picking up one of those vastex units to put on the end of my dryer.  It should really help in the summer.

I am also kicking around the idea of air conditioning in the screen room.  That way I can keep my films in there and the humidity won't be a problem.

[Northland]

It may sound dumb... but, sometimes it's more practical to cool just the space where you are standing (small window AC unit on a cart).
 Let the rest of the heat go to the ceiling and use a small exhaust fan to get rid of it.

[dsh]

I'm in Florida where heat can be a bear in the summer.  You may not have enough room for this but I have my dryer in an un-airconditioned area and I cut a hole in the wall for the dryer belt to stick through.  I have a dryer vent and also a high volume fan over the dryer that vents outside.  Once in a while the air comes back through the dryer but most of the time it works pretty good.

[screenxpress]

I'm in Florida where heat can be a bear in the summer.  You may not have enough room for this but I have my dryer in an un-airconditioned area and I cut a hole in the wall for the dryer belt to stick through.  I have a dryer vent and also a high volume fan over the dryer that vents outside.  Once in a while the air comes back through the dryer but most of the time it works pretty good.

Thanks,

This is EXACTLY what I was describing that I wanted to do....to a T. 

As long as you have not burned the place down then I'm putting that on my "to do" list.

Was there any special lining material you used on the inside walls/ceiling?  How close are the walls to the dryer?  Mine would be about 6 to 8 inches away and floor to ceiling - except for the window with the belt sticking out. 

Please describe the size of the exhaust fan over the dryer that's vented out (separate from the dryer's vent).  Bathroom fan size?  Attic fan size?  Somewhere in the middle?  CFM info would be too much to ask for.....but actually that's what I am asking, lol.

[jsheridan]

I'm in Florida where heat can be a bear in the summer.  You may not have enough room for this but I have my dryer in an un-airconditioned area and I cut a hole in the wall for the dryer belt to stick through.  I have a dryer vent and also a high volume fan over the dryer that vents outside.  Once in a while the air comes back through the dryer but most of the time it works pretty good.

Worked in a shop in Florida where a 'room' was built around the dryer. The in and out-feed went through cuts in the 'wall'. The dryer was accessible by a regular door, the lower portion of the wall was vented to supply the dryer with adequate air flow. The walls extended up the ceiling where a vent was cut in the roof. A 10 ton AC unit was on the roof and we were able to keep the shop in the mid to low 80's.

I've worked in a few AC shops and each of them was a pleasure to work in. The production rates were higher and people were generally in a good mood.