As it happens, my dryer does vent into the basement, via a little canister with holes in it. In the summer, you can feel the difference in humidity in the basement when the dryer’s just run.

When I bought the house there was (and still is, for that matter) an uninstalled dryer vent sitting next to the dryer. But there’s not enough space between the stone of the foundation and the first-story floor to install it. (I’m guessing one of the previous owners discovered that, and then set up the little bucket-with-holes solution.)

In the winter, I’d be leaving the basement door open while I dried to get some humidity in the rest of the house if it weren’t for Chickenfinger.