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How to Install Dryer Vent Ducts

Contributor
By Kevin McDermott
eHow Contributing Writer
(0 Ratings)

As heat and forced air enters the drum of your clothes dryer, it has to go out somewhere. That's where your dryer ducts and vent come in. The vent on your dryer is a crucial component that prevents lint and moisture buildup in your laundry room. If it isn't properly vented to the exterior of the house, you could find yourself cleaning up not only layers of lint, but growths of mold from the moisture. Make sure to get a dryer vent kit with a duct hose of the proper size for your dryer.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Dryer venting kit with external vent cover, wall pipe and flexible duct hose.
  • Drill
  • Long 1/4-inch bit
  • Hole-saw bit slightly larger than the wall pipe that came with your venting kit
  • Latex caulk
  • Screwdriver
  • Foil tape
  1. Step 1

    From inside your basement, find a spot on the exterior wall near the dryer that's open and accessible between two studs. Make sure there are no electrical fixtures, water pipes or other obstructions nearby. Use your drill and 1/4-inch bit to drill a hole in the center of the area. It's important that a few inches of open space are around it because you may have to adjust the position of the hole.

  2. Step 2

    Go outside and find the hole you drilled. With your drill and hole-saw, expand it to the size of the vent pipe that came with your kit. If the original hole is near the edge of a piece of siding, adjust the position of the hole a few inches in one direction or another so it's entirely on a solid, flat surface. Drill the hole all the way through the wall so you can see into the basement.

  3. Step 3

    Slide your vent pipe into the hole with the attached vent cover on the outside. Put a bead of latex caulk along the edge of the backside of the vent cover before you press it to the siding. Affix the vent cover to the siding with the provided screws, making sure the opening in the cover is facing down.

  4. Step 4

    Go back into the basement and caulk around the vent pipe where it comes through the wall. Slide the dryer duct hose over the vent pipe and secure it there with foil tape. Run the other end of the duct hose to the dryer and slide it over the exhaust vent at the back. Secure it with the plastic or metal clamp belt that came with the dryer. You can also use foil tape for a better seal.

Tips & Warnings
  • Always wear eye protection when using a power drill.
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