How to Cut a Dryer Vent Through a Cinder Block Wall
When you move appliances into a new house, you may need to install an outside dryer vent. Most installations only go through an outside wood wall and siding. Installing dryer vents through a cinder block wall can be a little trickier. You will need to make the hole for the vent from inside first and then work on the outside. Once you know how to cut a dryer vent through a cinder block wall, you will have the outside dryer vent ready for your dryer. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Drill
- 1/8-inch drill bit
- Metal clothes hanger
- 4-inch hole saw bit
- 1/4-inch masonry bit
- Cold chisel
- Hammer
Instructions
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Locate where you want to place the outside dryer vent. You should find the most direct route between the back of the dryer and the outside wall. Drill a 1/8-inch pilot hole in the inside wall. The inside wall is drywall so you can use a regular wood drill bit. Bend a metal clothes hanger 12 inches from the end at a 90-degree angle. Insert the 12-inch end into the hole in the wall and rotate the end around the hole to check for obstructions. If you hit an obstruction, you will need to find a different location.
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2
Drill a 4-inch hole in the inside wall using a drill and a 4-inch hole saw; the pilot hole should be used as your center mark. Pull out the cut piece of the wall and remove any insulation from around the hole area.
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3
Insert a 1/4-inch masonry bit into the drill and drill a pilot hole through the block from inside. This way you will ensure that the outside vent hole will be in line with the inside hole.
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4
Go outside and center the outside vent pipe over the pilot hole and use a pencil to trace the pipe outline onto the block. Drill closely spaced 1/4-inch holes around the circumference of the trace mark with the drill and 1/4-inch masonry bits. The hole will resemble a perforated cutout.
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Take a cold chisel and hammer to break the hole out of the block wall. A cold chisel is similar to a normal wood chisel except that the cold chisel is made of tempered steel. Place the blade of the chisel over the 1/4-inch holes and tap the end of the chisel with a hammer. Test-fit the outside dryer vent pipe into the hole and remove more block if necessary.
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Tips & Warnings
Stucco walls will have a steel mesh behind the stucco that you will need to snip with wire cutters.
