Dryer Vent Help
I live in a brownstone with shared laundry facilities in the basement. Our dryer vents to the outside through plastic tubing that feeds through a window. All of this was installed years ago, and the venting seems not to be working very well–there is lint all over the window through which the tubing feeds. Any…
I live in a brownstone with shared laundry facilities in the basement. Our dryer vents to the outside through plastic tubing that feeds through a window. All of this was installed years ago, and the venting seems not to be working very well–there is lint all over the window through which the tubing feeds. Any recommendations about who to call to help me fix this? A handyman or do I need someone more specialized?
6 feet isn’t so bad as long as it doesn’t have many bends. You should have the duct replaced with metal. The fact that you have so much lint in the duct is bad. Lint build up can cause fires. Be sure to clean the lint from the dryer after each time its used.
Thanks 3:36. It’s pretty far from the dryer to the window. Maybe 6 feet?
How long is the connection from the dryer to the window? Mine is less than 3 feet, and we simply unhook the flexible hose from the back of the dryer and shove a round brush through it once every couple of months. It is attached to the dryer with a metal bracket that wraps around the hose, which fits over a 3″ piece of pipe jutting out from the back of the dryer. Loosen the band holding it in place and slide it off the rim. If you buy a replacement (either plastic or metal) instructions should come with the “kit”. You can get them at either Lowe’s or Home Depot, and Tarzian and Pintchik’s have them in Park Slope.
I recently had my dryer vent, duct, etc professionally cleaned out. I couldn’t believe how much junk was in there. I recommend you get it done professionally. It can be a fire hazard. I used Advanced Duct Service 718-946-3953.
Home Depot carry flexi hose. Also agree with previous post should not have plastic as it is a fire hazard. Also not sure exactly what the regulations are, as we had our washer/dryer moved a while ago but remember something about that only a certain length of flex hose is allowed and then u have to use metal hose and some regulations about size of hose as well. You should speak to a plumber.
You really need a licensed lint remover. It’s illegal in the city to remove your own lint…not to mention very dangerous.
Thanks. I’m not remotely handy and doubt my abilities to do this myself. Where do I get flexible metal ductwork? Will Home Depot or Lowes carry it? Do they cut it to size?
Replace the plastic ductwork with a flexible metal piece of ductwork. Plastic is not appropriate for a dryer duct. It’s a easy job you can do yourself.
SOunds like you need to clean the vent. Lint tends to build up in a vent and should be cleaned out to optimize machine performance and minimize fire hazard. The cleaning should be a periodic ongoing maintenance task.