Dryer Duct

[us3rnotfound]

I've got to vent a little here.

Living in a 30ish year old home, it came with the notorious vinyl wire/accordian-like tubing for ducting that makes about a 15 foot run to the outside including 3 90 degree kinks. I finally got wise and dismantled the triumphant exhaust run, which was so caked with lint that I feel privileged to not be dead from a house fire.

Anyway, I go to a big box hardware store and go to the dryer duct aisle or whatever. Keep in mind I didn't read up on code before going. Anyway, I pickup some 4" aluminum foil flexible ducting that states in cartoonish graphics "Fire Resistant." That's all I needed to hear, and the price was fantastic, so I went with that. Had a hell of a time installing it, it runs through the basement, strapped to the ceiling joists and goes over a closet that I call the panic room, it's just a storage closet. So to make matters worse for me I needed to knock out a portion of that ceiling to attach the new duct to the exterior vent. I was determined to get it done so I did it all this evening.

Cleaned up everything, which took way too fucking long because there is too much shit in the basement, etc. I then go onto the internet since I'm curious and lo and behold, I didn't fix a damn thing, aluminum foil flexible ducting is strictly forbidden to some UL codes, and plus like I said my run is about 15' including 3 90 degree turns. Link: http://repair2000.com/vent.html

Has anyone else here ran into this situation? So what should I do? Get the semi-rigid aluminum ducting, go all out and get rigid ducts, or have a beer or 10 and never dry clothes while AFK?

Cliffs:
Installed generic foil dryer duct.
Internet says I was naughty in doing so.
Only I can prevent forest fires.

Sup?

 

[LTC8K6]

Get the safer stuff and do the job properly. Use whichever you feel most comfortable working with, I'd say.

Go back and complain at the store about the stuff they are selling.

 

[DrPizza]

My first instinct would be to move the dryer. Poor home design if the dryer is located where it can't have a nice short run to the vent. And, based on my experience with dealing with even a couple feet of that crap, it's less frustrating to move the gas lines.

 

[BoomerD]

Dryer exhaust systems don't do a good job with long runs of ducting...especially the flexible stuff. You need the rigid ducting for longer runs...and still you may have problems with lint build up.

 

[foghorn67]

epic 5000th post.
too much "turbulence" in the flexible stuff.

 

[Sea Moose]

i replaced some of the same ducting in a hotel i do some contracting for. I can take pics if you want

 

[edro]

I replaced foil tubing with rigid duct work.
It was simple and flows much easier now.
The only hard part is fitting it into the floor joists and making the weird bends.
I had to use 3 elbows and adjust the angles back and forth to get everything to line up.
I then used rivets and aluminum tape to secure everything.

 

[us3rnotfound]

OK, is it legal for me to use the "good" flexible aluminum piping for the turns and for the straight run use the rigid stuff?

 

[ComputerWizKid]

Lol you had to vent about a dryer vent

 

[moshquerade]

Use some Eva Mendes sex tape on it.

 

[spaceman]

keep it clean
youll have no worries

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Use rigid duct for all of it. I agree with others, sounds like the run is too long.. Although to move a dryer you need to move the washer too, it can be a pain.

Personally I'd just use rigid ductwork and would try to make as few bends as possible and it keep level.

 

[us3rnotfound]

OK I'm installing the rigid ductwork. I'm at the part where it is running right on top of the storage closet; it's tight but it'll fit, the 4" flexible tubing fit so why not this?

Now a code question: I picked up some type B pipe, which is typically used for exhausting hot fumes from a fireplace. I am reading that a 1 inch clearance is required from all combustibles. Do I need to follow this for a dryer vent application?

Edit: crap maybe Type B was incorrect for this.

 

[Kanalua]

Bucket duct.

 

[Greenman]

OK I'm installing the rigid ductwork. I'm at the part where it is running right on top of the storage closet; it's tight but it'll fit, the 4" flexible tubing fit so why not this?

Now a code question: I picked up some type B pipe, which is typically used for exhausting hot fumes from a fireplace. I am reading that a 1 inch clearance is required from all combustibles. Do I need to follow this for a dryer vent application?

Edit: crap maybe Type B was incorrect for this.

Don't use B vent for a dryer. Use plain old 4" sheet metal duct. Don't put any screws or rivets in it, use foil tape to hold the seams together. Around here, if the total run is over 10', we have to use 6" duct and reduce at the dryer. We then have to insulate the pipe because the air moves slow enough through the 6" that condensation forms on the pipe walls and lint sticks to it.

Edit: Don't even consider using a "bucket duct". That system dumps all the hot wet air into your house. It's one of the stupidest ideas I've ever seen.

 

[us3rnotfound]

Don't use B vent for a dryer. Use plain old 4" sheet metal duct. Don't put any screws or rivets in it, use foil tape to hold the seams together. Around here, if the total run is over 10', we have to use 6" duct and reduce at the dryer. We then have to insulate the pipe because the air moves slow enough through the 6" that condensation forms on the pipe walls and lint sticks to it.

Edit: Don't even consider using a "bucket duct". That system dumps all the hot wet air into your house. It's one of the stupidest ideas I've ever seen.

Hmm, I already got done with B vent. Is that just plain overkill, or is there any other reason why I shouldn't have done it?

By the way, it's working great, the hood vent on the exterior wall is moving some pretty fast air.

 

[0roo0roo]

coily duct is just asking for lint build up.

 

[BoomerD]

Hmm, I already got done with B vent. Is that just plain overkill, or is there any other reason why I shouldn't have done it?

By the way, it's working great, the hood vent on the exterior wall is moving some pretty fast air.

Nah, it's just overkill for the application. As long as there aren't any obstructions for the lint to catch on, you'll be ok. Like greenman says, you probably should have used 6" instead of 4 inch to reduce the back pressure, but keep an eye on things to make sure the dryer continues to properly vent. If clothes start taking longer to dry...you'll know you have a vent problem.