Dryer Vent Problem

Posted by hr(bob) hofmann@att.net on November 6, 2009, 10:36 pm

> The laundry room that holds our dryer is only big enough to barely hold
> the washer and dryer. The dryer is backed up to back wall with the
> exhaust vent. There is literally no way to put a dryer vent between the
> two. The exhaust port on the dryer is no more than four inches from the
> outside wall.
> Is anyone aware of a vent mechanism that we could use to vent to the
> outside? Apparently the vent was jury rigged as a straight pipe. I
> cannot get the pipe to securely attach to the dryer. Therefore, the
> exhaust is not safely installed.
> I'm not sure what to do. It surprises me that the configuration passes
> inspection, unless there is a way to create a vent that I'm not aware of.

I'm confused by the usage of the words exhaust vent vs the dryer
vent. I think there are rectangular boxes that fit/screw on the back
of the dryer at the vent output that have an output going up
vertically to which you connect the hose going to the thru the wall
pipe assembly. You haven't said if this is from a basement dryer,
first floor dryer, etc... A better description would make it a lot
easier to understand

Posted by mm on November 7, 2009, 8:27 pm

On Fri, 6 Nov 2009 19:36:38 -0800 (PST), "hr(bob) hofmann@att.net"

>> The laundry room that holds our dryer is only big enough to barely hold
>> the washer and dryer. The dryer is backed up to back wall with the
>> exhaust vent. There is literally no way to put a dryer vent between the
>> two. The exhaust port on the dryer is no more than four inches from the
>> outside wall.
>> Is anyone aware of a vent mechanism that we could use to vent to the
>> outside? Apparently the vent was jury rigged as a straight pipe. I
>> cannot get the pipe to securely attach to the dryer. Therefore, the
>> exhaust is not safely installed.
>> I'm not sure what to do. It surprises me that the configuration passes
>> inspection, unless there is a way to create a vent that I'm not aware of.

>I'm confused by the usage of the words exhaust vent vs the dryer
>vent. I think there are rectangular boxes that fit/screw on the back
>of the dryer at the vent output that have an output going up
>vertically to which you connect the hose going to the thru the wall
>pipe assembly. You haven't said if this is from a basement dryer,
>first floor dryer, etc... A better description would make it a lot
>easier to understand

For sure. I lined up my dryer vent output with the wall, put lipstick
on the edge to mark the location, and cut a hole in the cinderblock to
match the output. When I got all the way through, I found a bunch of
dirt. I dug for a while and then gave up. That's when I noticed my
dryer was in the basement.

Posted by Red Green on November 7, 2009, 11:24 pm

> On Fri, 6 Nov 2009 19:36:38 -0800 (PST), "hr(bob) hofmann@att.net"
>

>>> The laundry room that holds our dryer is only big enough to barely
>>> hold the washer and dryer. The dryer is backed up to back wall with
>>> the exhaust vent. There is literally no way to put a dryer vent
>>> between the two. The exhaust port on the dryer is no more than four
>>> inches from the outside wall.
>>> Is anyone aware of a vent mechanism that we could use to vent to the
>>> outside? Apparently the vent was jury rigged as a straight pipe. I
>>> cannot get the pipe to securely attach to the dryer. Therefore, the
>>> exhaust is not safely installed.
>>> I'm not sure what to do. It surprises me that the configuration
>>> passes inspection, unless there is a way to create a vent that I'm
>>> not aware of.

>>I'm confused by the usage of the words exhaust vent vs the dryer
>>vent. I think there are rectangular boxes that fit/screw on the back
>>of the dryer at the vent output that have an output going up
>>vertically to which you connect the hose going to the thru the wall
>>pipe assembly. You haven't said if this is from a basement dryer,
>>first floor dryer, etc... A better description would make it a lot
>>easier to understand

>
> For sure. I lined up my dryer vent output with the wall, put lipstick
> on the edge to mark the location, and cut a hole in the cinderblock to
> match the output. When I got all the way through, I found a bunch of
> dirt. I dug for a while and then gave up. That's when I noticed my
> dryer was in the basement.
>

Couldn't you vent it into the sewar main with like a big check valve?

:-)

Posted by Van Chocstraw on November 7, 2009, 9:07 am

mcp6453 wrote:

> The laundry room that holds our dryer is only big enough to barely hold
> the washer and dryer. The dryer is backed up to back wall with the
> exhaust vent. There is literally no way to put a dryer vent between the
> two. The exhaust port on the dryer is no more than four inches from the
> outside wall.
>
> Is anyone aware of a vent mechanism that we could use to vent to the
> outside? Apparently the vent was jury rigged as a straight pipe. I
> cannot get the pipe to securely attach to the dryer. Therefore, the
> exhaust is not safely installed.
>
> I'm not sure what to do. It surprises me that the configuration passes
> inspection, unless there is a way to create a vent that I'm not aware of.

The rigid pipe on the end of the dryer outlet face is all you need. I
installed one that way. Push the straight pipe through the wall into the
dryer blower outlet. If you have it lined up it works fine.

Posted by Tom G on November 7, 2009, 10:52 am

> mcp6453 wrote:

>> The laundry room that holds our dryer is only big enough to barely hold
>> the washer and dryer. The dryer is backed up to back wall with the
>> exhaust vent. There is literally no way to put a dryer vent between the
>> two. The exhaust port on the dryer is no more than four inches from the
>> outside wall.
>> Is anyone aware of a vent mechanism that we could use to vent to the
>> outside? Apparently the vent was jury rigged as a straight pipe. I cannot
>> get the pipe to securely attach to the dryer. Therefore, the exhaust is
>> not safely installed.
>> I'm not sure what to do. It surprises me that the configuration passes
>> inspection, unless there is a way to create a vent that I'm not aware of.

> The rigid pipe on the end of the dryer outlet face is all you need. I
> installed one that way. Push the straight pipe through the wall into the
> dryer blower outlet. If you have it lined up it works fine.

I would also agree with this method. But if you have a slight misalignment,
the periscope devices mentioned earlier come in three configurations,
allowing different offsets. One is like only an offset of o" to a couple of
inches. Think of these as a type of collector box which you could even have
manufactured by a sheet metal man if the periscope function wasn't
desirable. I would guess the reason for your problem is that the home
builder built the w/d area to accommadate what is called a flat back dryer
rather then the larger dryers. About 5 cu ft versus 7+ cu ft. About a 2"
difference in dryer depth. I sold dryers for about 27 years and this was a
common problem...especially in the Phoenix area where a lot of condos and
town houses were built. One of my customers couldn't figure out why his
house wouldn't handle the bigger dryer when the identical house across the
street would. He got a copy of the blueprints from his builder and found
out the framer had put down the sill plate (and thus the wall) for the back
of the laundry alcove on the wrong side of the line.

Tom G

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Dryer Vent Problem - Page 2