How to Install a Dryer Vent
How to Install a Dryer Vent. Do-it-yourself dryer vent duct installation is a risky prospect. You can try to do it on your own, following directions that do not take into account your unique circumstances. Failing to install the vent correctly, or cutting a hole into your home, can have serious consequences. If you are determined, the basic steps follow.
Choosing The Route
Choose the route your dryer vent will take from your electric or gas clothes dryer to the outdoors. Consider the issues related to this decision:
- Ease of dryer duct cleaning, either professionally or by you;
- Obstacles to a clear, straight path, such as floor joists or basement foundation walls;
- Locating the hole in your home’s exterior wall.
For every right-angle bend needed, deduct five feet of the 25-foot maximum run. For every 45-degree angle needed in the duct, subtract 2.5 feet.
Cutting The Dryer Vent
Reading about this step alone may convince you to consider professional installation. A round hole 4.25 inches in diameter is needed through your home’s exterior wall. Use a reciprocating saw to cut the hole in your siding and sheathing. If going through stucco or concrete, drill a series of holes around the circumference of the circle, then chisel out the wall.
Installing Dryer Vent Cap
Install the dryer vent cap against your home’s outside, pushing the attached pipe into the hole into your house. Secure with screws and caulk around the edges to seal against water and air infiltration.
Inside your home, connect the vent cap pipe to the dryer duct, including the 90-degree elbow if needed, using a hose clamp to secure the two together.
Dryer Vent Tubing
Measure from your dryer’s back up to the vent opening. You can use flexible dryer vent tubing; rigid ductwork is better. Cut the rigid tubing to length, join the sections, and secure all joints with metal foil tape. Use a hose clamp to secure the ductwork to the rear of your dryer.
Checking The Dryer Vent
To ensure vent dryer cleaning will not be needed more than once a year, verify that all joints are airtight. Turn on the dryer; check outside for a steady flow of warm air. Check each joint inside for the feel of air escaping under the metal foil tape.
Dryer Duct Installation with A-Z Air Duct
Periodically vacuuming out the dryer duct can keep your dryer operating efficiently and cut down on the risk of home dryer fires. If you prefer professional dryer duct installation, contact us at A-Z Air Duct today.