Dryer vent

ponch37300 · Tue Jan 20, 2009 11:32 pm

This may be an easy one but I'm having some difficulty hooking up my dryer and there must be an easy way to do this! I have a washing nuk, dryer on the left and washer on the right, walls on each side of the washer and dryer. I noticed the dryer vent had come off and pulled the dryer out to fix it. I bought some new metal flexible duct, not the thin foil looking stuff but stuff that is a little thicker but still flexible. The vent goes threw the floor. The problem i'm having is hooking the flexible vent up using hose clamps and then crawling over the dryer to get out and then pushing the dryer in. I don't want to cut the vent to long so it is just curled up behind the dryer(would be easy to hook up and crawl out) but if i cut it to short I can't get the dryer close enough to hook it up with me still back there. I'm pretty skinny and flexible so I can get the dryer pretty close to hook it up and then crawl out. Is there an easier way to do this? Thanks

shadow745 · Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:16 am

What I do is slide the washer out to allow more room for properly fitting the dryer vent hose. The water and drain lines on the washer have alot more give to make this work better for me.

Yeah you don't want to cut it too short and you don't want to have alot of slack to bunch back up, because this can lead to crimping and restrict airflow. Main thing is to take your time so you only have to do it once. Also, after you connect the vent hose to the dryer outlet I suggest wrapping a bit of aluminum foil tape around the connection (over the clamp). This guards against any air leaks and holds the connection a bit tighter as well. Later!

oldfart · Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:18 am

Ponch as much as I hate to say it this is one of those jobs that goes soooo much easier with 2 people. Yeah...I know...I hate asking for help as well. It seems if I "borrow" someone for 2 minutes help I "owe them" for the next 10yrs.!! Anyways..pull the dryer out far enough to securely hook up a length of vent hose. I use clamps and duct-tape or better yet aluminum tape to make it secure. The less bends and kinks the better. Make it 10ft. long....doesn't matter at this point. Now have yer hired hand crawl under the home and reach up thru the hole in the floor and GENTLY pull the vent hose down as you slide the dryer into position. Now pay him/her well and don't make any promises about helping them in the future. (you'll come to regret that!) It's better they understand payment for services rendered than the barter system..trust me!

Also let them know you'll need them back in the spring to pull it back out and clean the dryer. Very important!! JMHO of course. Audie..the Oldfart..

peachlizzard · Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:57 pm

Oh how I have been in your situation....mind you I was 8 months prego when I did it so I know it is possible. I have the same setup. I slid the washer out first. Then dryer. I crawled on top of the washer jumped down behind it and pushed the dryer out as much as I could. Then made my repairs and slid the dryer back first. I have done this twice now and it takes a little talent to get that darn hose to stay on, but it will work.....patients and determination are my motto!!!! Good luck!

ponch37300 · Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:12 pm

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Audie, I have a ridgid metal bipe sticking out of my floor that the flex vent connects to so running the flex threw the floor won't work for me. I think I got it, connected the flex to the pipe in the floor with clamp and then slide the dryer in(with the washer pulled out) and connected the flex to the dryer with a clamp.

Now I need to find where this thing is vented outside! I looked on the skirting on the side closest to the dryer and didn't see any kind of vent. Not sure if it is vented threw the roof or out the otherside of the trailor, which is covered in snow right now so don't think it is there. Where do most dryer vents get vented? Thanks again for your help

Greg · Wed Jan 21, 2009 5:16 pm

Ponch, Here's what I finally did after fighting the same way that you are. I screwed a 2x12 on each side of the wall and cut two 2x6s to go sideways on top of the 2x12s. Set the dryer up on them so it is lifted off of the floor. Much easier to hook up the vent, PLUS you don't have to bend as far to load/unload. Greg

oldfart · Thu Jan 22, 2009 11:03 am

Aye Ponch..didn't realize ya had a pipe sticking up out of the floor to attach the flex to. Duh..never thought of that! Glad it worked out and you gotter done! Now you haven't found out yet where the vent actually clears the skirting eh? Hmmm..I'll bet a dollar it doesn't exit the skirting and is dumping warm moist air under that home! Not a good thing. Eventually it condenses and freezes and then causes problems. As awful as it sounds..might be a good time to don yer insulated bibbs and grab a flashlight and go exploring. If it exits thru the floor it isn't going up thru any roof vents I can assure ye! Keep us posted and let us know what's going on my friend. Audie..the longwinded Oldfart...