In-O-Vate Technologies Introduces The Dryerbox
Innovative Product Saves Space, Conserves Energy and
Reduces Fire Hazard Associated with Residential Clothes Dryers
(Jupiter, FL - January 2003) In-O-Vate Technologies Inc. has launched The Dryerbox, a recessed dryer vent box, to the U.S. market. This simple yet innovative product saves space in the laundry room, allows the clothes dryer to operate more efficiently and reduces a common household fire hazard.

According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), clothes dryers are the number three cause of house fires, after stoves and heaters. This is caused by the accumulation of combustible lint in the bends and crimps in the exhaust ductwork behind the dryer. The Dryerbox allows the storage and recoiling of the flex transition hose between the dryer and the wall connection to take place inside the wall cavity, eliminating the zig-zag of ductwork most households have tolerated for decades.

Similar in function to the plastic receptacle now commonly found behind washing machines to house connections, The Dryerbox allows the clothes dryer to be pushed back against the wall of a laundry room, providing an additional square foot of work space as well as a more attractive appearance. Additionally, the vent box eliminates the space behind the dryer that so often becomes a trap for dust and lint as well as fallen laundry items.

“It might take five or 10 years, but we believe that almost every new home will eventually be built with a Dryerbox behind the dryer,” said In-O-Vate Technologies Inc., President Rick Harpenau. “As builders, architects, subcontractors and homeowners see the product for themselves, they are asking why this wasn’t available sooner. It really is a common sense type of product.”

Manufactured through a process known as “deep drawing,” The Dryerbox is constructed of heavy, 22-gauge, aluminized steel. Approximately the size of a medicine cabinet, The Dryerbox installs between the studs in new construction before the drywall phase to house and collect the flex duct hose, which connects to the wall exhaust pipe. It can be exhausted to a roof jack, sidewall or down to a crawl space or floor joint system. The Dryerbox also doubles as a gas connection receptacle. This is facilitated by a newly incorporated "knock-out" hole in the top side of the Dryerbox.

Three models are available, including Model 350 (3.5 inches deep for two-by-four framing), Model 425 (4.25 inches deep for two-by-six framing) and The Retro-Fit Box (four inches deep for use in existing homes). The Retro-Fit model is powder-coated, similar to the finish on the dryer appliance, for an attractive appearance. Suggested retail prices start at $19 for new construction models and $21 for the retrofit model, plus professional installation, if needed.

The Dryerbox provides a variety of benefits to both the homeowner and building and design trades.

Benefits to the homeowner include:

  • Adding a net gain of one square foot of living space in the laundry or utility room (providing more work space, better traffic flow, etc.)
  • Allowing the dryer to be moved back against the wall, providing a neater, more attractive appearance for homeowners
  • Decreasing the fire hazard associated with dryers by eliminating the likely accumulation of lint in the exhaust hose
  • Eliminates space behind the dryer so that dust and lint don’t collect and socks and other items don’t get trapped
  • Increases the efficiency of the dryer so that clothes dry faster with less tumbling
  • Saves approximately $6 per year in energy costs
Benefits to the builder, architect and subcontractor include:
  • Removing the need for a 90-degree bend penetrating the drywall, thereby giving the HVAC contractor five additional linear feet of duct run allowance and eliminating likely punch-out work
  • Providing builders with a competitive advantage by offering their customers a more streamlined, attractive laundry room that actually appears larger
  • Virtually eliminating dryer-related service callbacks
  • Requiring no additional framing, facilitating a quick and simple installation
The Dryerbox is a product of In-O-Vate Technologies Inc., based in Jupiter, Florida, and is manufactured in Pittsburgh, PA. Invented, patented and test marketed in select areas since 1995, The Dryerbox is now available throughout the country from supply houses, lumber yards and hardware centers that carry heating, ventilation and air conditioning parts and supplies, as well as directly from the manufacturer.
Contact Information:

Rick Harpenau
In-O-Vate Technologies, Inc.
810 Saturn Street, Suite 21 • Jupiter, FL 33477
Phone: (561) 743-8696 • Fax: (561) 745-9723