Is it possible to place a clothes dryer on the balcony?

Those who dry clothes on the balcony know that doing this in winter is long and inconvenient. And floor dryers, which can be placed in rooms, take up a lot of space. For this reason, many people think about buying a clothes dryer. But it will also require free space in the apartment. Can a glazed, unheated balcony be considered as a place to install equipment? Let us tell you whether it is permissible to operate equipment in such conditions?

Which dryers are suitable for a balcony?

In winter, the air temperature on the balcony can drop below -10 degrees. If you place a washing machine on it, the water in the pipes, pump and filling valve will freeze, the ice will crush the parts, and the device will fail. What happens if you put the dryer on the balcony?

With this device the situation is simpler, since there are not many elements in its design in which moisture accumulates. Will the dryer be started in winter, in conditions of negative temperatures? It depends on the type of car. Some models are “afraid” of cold weather, while others are less affected by frost.

Exhaust (ventilation) type dryers are most susceptible to breakdowns at low temperatures due to their design features and operating principle. Drying of things is carried out in such models using heated air. It is saturated with moisture, which evaporates from the laundry and goes outside. When installing such machines, a special outlet is required into the ventilation shaft or directly to the street. And when operating devices, their owners may encounter a number of problems.

1. The need to properly install ventilation on the balcony.
2. You cannot use the dryer in winter, since in low temperatures the air does not have time to warm up inside the machine.
3. The condensate freezes and ice forms on the walls of the air duct. As a result, the device completely fails.

Note! Ventilated dryers should not be placed on balconies.

Condensation-type devices are less “sensitive” to frost. They have a different operating principle. Dry and heated air is supplied to the drum, picks up moisture and enters the heat exchanger. It releases condensate, which is collected in a special container or immediately discharged into the sewer system.

Even an insulated balcony cannot be equipped with a sewer system, but it is possible to empty the accumulated water from the container after each start of the machine. This will prevent moisture from freezing inside the device. It will be protected from damage.

The best option for installation on a glazed balcony is modern models of drying machines with a heat pump. Their peculiarity is that they once take air from the environment, which then circulates inside the device. A minimal amount of moist air escapes. The advantages of heat pump dryers are:

• the air warms up faster;
• on a closed balcony, the glass fogs up less, since the outflow of moist air is minimized.

Models of machines with a heat pump, unlike ventilating and condensing type dryers, are not equipped with heating elements. Their work is based on a circuit with a circulating coolant. Compressor refrigerators and air conditioners have a similar design principle.The heated air in the machines is forced into the drum, where it picks up moisture. Then it is discharged through the evaporator, cools, releases moisture, goes to the condenser and is warmed up again. In this way, air circulates inside the appliance until it completely completes the laundry drying cycle.

Drying on the balcony is not ideal

Although installing condenser dryers on balconies is not prohibited, installing them in such conditions is not the best option. Moisture remains in the pipes of the devices. If you turn on the dryer at a temperature of -10 degrees, the condensation will turn into ice, which will cover the pipes with a thin layer.

It is possible that due to the temperature difference between the warm walls of the case and the cold air inside the machine, drops of condensation form. It can even appear on the control board and cause a breakdown. Manufacturers of equipment do not allow its operation at air temperatures below 0 degrees.

Important! If a drying machine installed on a balcony breaks down during the warranty period, the owner will not be able to use the warranty repair service due to violation of operating rules.

How can I prevent my dryer from over-cooling?

Those who want to install a drying machine on the balcony can take a radical route - install a heating system. But this requires solving a number of technical problems and additional financial costs.

An original method for installing a condenser dryer on an unheated balcony can be found on the Internet:

• install the device in a cabinet made of laminated chipboard;
• sheathe the inside of the furniture with non-flammable heat-insulating material;
• equip the cabinet with a forced exhaust to remove moist air;
• place a 100 W incandescent light bulb inside (in winter it should work around the clock to heat the bedside table).

According to reviews on the Internet, this design allows you to safely use the dryer even in cold weather. If the area of ​​the apartment does not allow installing the device in a warm room, there is always the opportunity to find a way out of the situation. The main thing is to carefully consider all the nuances of installation and operation.

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