Dryer Vent Installation

Installing a dryer vent is known to speed up the process of drying clothes. It is also helpful in reducing the lint buildup. Dryer vent installation is not a tough task as you might assume. If you do not want to call a professional for the installation process, then you can follow these simple steps and have the job done yourself.

Start the procedure with the placement of your dryer. Decide where you want it to be located, and accordingly you can decide on the vent hole. Remember that the hole has to be 12 inches off the ground. Make a hole where there are no obstructions. Well, you need to check that there are no obstructions from the inner as well as outer wall.

Now that you have found the right spot, start making a hole. Make sure that the wall is clear and you can drill a large hole. You can do this by making a small pilot hole first. Make a small hole through the inside and outside wall with proper measurements, so that these will meet at the center.

Take a long wire and try passing it through this hole from inside, and check if it easily reaches till the outer side. Also, try moving it to check whether the hole is okay.

If it passes through and swirls well, you can proceed to make a larger hole from outside, of about 4 inches in diameter. Best thing is to check the size of the vent and then make the hole.

Choose one of the various types of vents. You have vents made in rigid metal, flexible metal, flexible plastic, and flexible foil. Remember not to use the flexible plastic or flexible foil vents, as these are not at all durable. Make sure that the exterior and interior holes match well. Having the small pilot hole done first works as a good guideline in this task.

The dryer vent kit consists of a hose, pipe, and screws. You will have to insert this pipe through the hole from the interior. Fix it to the exterior wall using the galvanized hardware. Now attach the vent hood from the interior wall around the pipe using screws.

Fill caulk around the pipe to fill up the extra hole space (if any). Fix a 90-degree elbow pipe into the exhaust outlet. Next fix the 90-degree elbow into the vent pipe stub.

Now, you have to connect the two elbows using a straight vent pipe. Adjust the elbows and get ready to use the dryer.

Make sure that you measure the length well before cutting the pipes, so as to avoid any joints. In case you need to have joints, you can use a metal tape to fix them perfectly. If your dryer is in the basement, you must have the vent hole at the top of the foundation, about 12 inches above ground level.