[rjschwar]

My dryer vent is in the floor of my laundry room a few inches from the back wall, and directly in line with the outlet of the dryer in the middle near the bottom of the dryer. It is a female portion of rigid metal duct sticking a couple inches out of the ground. Currently the dryer is connected to the duct with a 4" 90 adjustable rigid metal duct piece, but it is not taped or screwed or anything, just inserted into the floor vent and the dryer is pushed into the female side of the 90. Is this allowed, or do I need to replace it with semi-rigid and clamps, or tape the joints or something? When I recently pulled out my dryer there was some lint back there like the vent was leaking, and it looks like one of the adjustable joints on the 90 popped out. I'm wondering if I should replace it with the same setup or do something different.

Thanks,
Richard

 

[jmon]

Some pictures would help. Too bad you can't go right out the wall instead. Hence the reason why it's routed through the floor probably then out.



Not the best solution, but doable.

 

[bfrabel]

Don't know exactly what you're talking about, but yes, foil tape and hose clamps are good things with dryer venting. Screws should not be used because they end up being places where lint can collect inside of the ducting.

The vent elbows should be aluminum to prevent rust and corrosion. This means that they aren't going to be as strong as a steel elbow would be, but it is what it is.

 

[rjschwar]

I'd post a picture but a load is currently running. The question I guess is can is use a rigid metal 90 degree piece to connect my dryer to the vent without any tape or screws, or is something else needed, like a semi rigid cut short to make a 90 that I can clamp to both dryer and vent in the floor.

 

[rjschwar]

Attached is a picture of my dryer attaching to the rigid 90 which then goes into the floor I was wondering if it is against code to have this friction fit together itif I need something different.

 

[diyorpay]

It looks fine but not something that is common.

To get a perfect fit without using screws and using solid pieces would mean fitting a solid piece of proper length to rear of dryer. Then fitting a 90 degree elbow over pipe that sticks up from floor. Then slowly pushing dryer back towards wall and into elbow opening for a snug fit. No tape required which would make it difficult to move dryer away from wall when necessary.

Dry fit the solid pipe into elbow to get measurement of how far it goes in so you can accurately cut pipe length to correct length. If you buy the flat type pipe sheet that has to be shaped into pipe configuration, after determining the length that will work (dryer not sticking out into room), release pipe back to flat sheet and cut with nippers. Reshape back to pipe.

 

[HotRodx10]

This appears to be an electric dryer, but an fyi for anyone browsing, the answers would be much different for a gas dryer. There the vent has to be steel (or maybe heavy aluminum?) and sealed tight with aluminum tape.

 

[rjschwar]

Yes, it is an electric dryer. The fit is actually just right with the 90 degree elbow. I do as you said when installing, put the elbow into the vent then slowly push the dryer back making sure everything fits snug.

Thanks,
Richard

 

[DexterII]

That's how mine is, not into the floor, but into an elbow, which in my case turns into a short piece and then into another elbow that runs through the wall, but essentially the same as far as just slid back into the elbow, has been for years, and no problem. I always use foil tape whenever possible, never screws as previously mentioned, but more often than not that last one is impossible or close to it to tape because you can't get to it once the dryer is in place. Sometimes a yard stick or something like that is handy to get the elbow where you want it once you're close.

 

[RAL238]

Take a look at the MagVent MV-90. It's a two piece 90 degree vent that connects together magnetically to make a tight seal. Only downside is that it's pricey.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013TI7A4S

 

[ront02769]

This appears to be an electric dryer, but an fyi for anyone browsing, the answers would be much different for a gas dryer. There the vent has to be steel (or maybe heavy aluminum?) and sealed tight with aluminum tape.

Citation for that? New one for me!

 

[Missouri Bound]

This appears to be an electric dryer, but an fyi for anyone browsing, the answers would be much different for a gas dryer. There the vent has to be steel (or maybe heavy aluminum?) and sealed tight with aluminum tape.

Although I agree with you about metal venting, gas and electric dryers actually put out the same heat. And the IRC states that you can use up to 8 feet of flexible venting material and that the total run cannot exceed 35'. Both aluminum and steel are allowed according to federal regulation.
That being said, any community, building association can attach "special" requirements that force homeowners to use material mandated by local codes.
Every dryer manufacturer has installation requirements as to length of run and material. The IRC tends to give the manufacturers the right to specify what they want and acknowledge and allow those requirements.
In a perfect world all dryers, gas or electric would be vented with sturdy metal bent pipe with few elbows.
Let me know when that perfect world happens.

 

[HotRodx10]

Originally Posted by HotRodx10 This appears to be an electric dryer, but an fyi for anyone browsing, the answers would be much different for a gas dryer. There the vent has to be steel (or maybe heavy aluminum?) and sealed tight with aluminum tape.

Citation for that? New one for me!

I don't know if I have a citation that I could find offhand, but gas dryers have to be vented outdoors the same way a natural gas water heater or furnace does.

Although I agree with you about metal venting, gas and electric dryers actually put out the same heat.

It's not about the heat; it's about the combustion exhaust (the fumes from burning the natural gas). Electric dryers can be vented back into the room. If you filter the lint, electric dryers just emit warm, moist air, which is actually nice to bring back into the house in the winter in really dry climates like ours. It cuts out heating bill and also functions as a humidifier. I've been doing it for years; pantyhose make great lint filters.

 

[bfrabel]

gas and electric dryers actually put out the same heat.

I don't believe this is completely true, unless most of the stuff I've read on the internet recently when I was researching dryers is wrong.

The stuff I read said that gas dryers usually get hotter and are able to dry stuff quicker.

I also want to point out that plastic flexible dryer venting is NOT allowed (on either type). It should be metal. I'm guessing you already know this, but I want to point it out for others.

And, since we were on the subject, yes carbon monoxide can be an issue with gas dryers if allowed to vent inside of the house. What might be a bigger issue though, is the naturally vented furnace, boiler and/or water heater which is often in the same room as the dryer.

Most people probably don't think of this, but a dryer is just like a large exhaust fan that sucks air from inside of your house and shoots it outside. This can sometimes cause flue gas from other gas appliances to get sucked backwards out of the chimney/flue pipe, which could cause a very dangerous situation.