How Does a Washer Dryer Work?

​Ever since homeowners and residents started becoming conscious and sensitive to the issue of space utilization, combo appliances have really grown in popularity.

As such, the washer dryer, being one of the common household appliances in the market has also become equally essential.

Not only does it act as a great space save but also it does a great job at doing your laundry. Now, there are two types of washer dryers; the vented and the ventless type.

In this article, we are going to look into the inner workings of both the vented and the ventless types of washer dryers.

​Vented Washer Dryers

This type is commonly used in large laundry rooms that do not have much of a problem with space. A vented washer dryer has an outside exhaust through which steam is eliminated to the outside of the house. During the washing cycle, clothes are tumbled with soap and water to the point where they are satisfyingly clean. Once the wash cycle is completed, the clean clothes are taken through a spin which helps to remove excess water.

At the same time, the machine takes air from the surrounding and heats it up then mixes it with the spinning clothes. What happens during this process is that the heated air picks up moisture from the spinning clothes and steam is produced, which is directed to the outside through the vent. This process repeats itself until the clothes have been dried completely. It is worth noting that the washer dryer machine comes with programmable settings that let you adjust the drying intensity. Also, through the settings of some high-end washer dryers, you can regulate the spinning speed as well as how much air should be sucked into the machine.

​Ventless Washer Dryer Machines

This is an alternative to the vented machines. It is a compact machine that is almost the size of an average dishwasher. This makes it a great option for the space-conscious people dwelling in high-rise apartments and condos. Now, as the name suggests, a ventless washer dryer is one that does not require an outside exhaust to expel steam from the house. Besides the absence of a vent, the other thing that differentiates this type from the vented one is on the drying side. As for the wash cycles, both the vented and ventless machines are the same. The drying process in a ventless system takes place in a plastic or metallic condensing chamber. First and foremost, this chamber is cooled then heat is applied on the dryer drum containing wet clothes to heat up the air inside. During this time, the drum will be spinning. As such, the hot air will pick moisture from the wet clothes and move on to the cooled condensing chamber where it will condense and transform back to its liquid form.

This condensed moisture-laden air will then leave the unit through a water drainage tube. This process will repeat itself until the clothes are dry.

​Depending on the intensity of the heat applied on the dryer drum to heat up the air, the process could faster or slower. More heat and faster spins of the drum accelerate the drying process. If you are using an advanced washer dryer, you can adjust the spinning speed and the heat intensity to fasten the entire process. The setting on a washer dryer make it a convenient home appliance for laundry works. Nonetheless, if you own one, you should be ready to take good care of it so as to avoid hefty maintenance expenses whenever the unit malfunctions.

​Conclusion

Regardless of the type you decide to buy, one thing remains constant and that is the inner workings of the machine. Despite the small difference in the presence of a vent and the drying mechanism, both the vented and ventless washer dryer provide indispensable support at home when you are doing your laundry. Furthermore, these machines are very easy to use provided you follow the instructions detailed in the user manual. Despite being a combination machine, you can always alter the settings in case you want to use just one of the options. For instance, you can select “dry only” or “wash only” and you will get only the selected service. If you feel you want a little more information before you buy one, we have put together a handy guide for you here best washer dryer reviews