Can you have a conventional vented dryer in a passive house? Absolutely not. It consumes too much energy, and then all the hot air it generates gets dumped directly outside at 200 CFM. That’s the rough equivalent of every hour your dryer runs (like for every single load), completely emptying all the air from your house and starting over and having to re-heat or cool, depending on your climate.

Instead, a condensing dryer is the best bet (they are also referred to as a ventless dryer, since they don’t vent to the outside). Another option is a drying closet, or drying cabinet, Asko has a couple of models to choose from.

How does a condensing dryer work? Instead of sending hot humid air outside, it runs it through a condenser, and the moisture condenses and is then pumped out into the same drain where you connect your washer. So the heat is not dumped outside and you save energy and money just like that. Does it take longer to dry your clothes? Yes, it does take a little bit longer, but this is a small price to pay for such a huge reduction in your energy consumption, carbon footprint and utility bills.

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