It’s been over 100 years since the first clothes dryers were invented. They initially used barrels but nowadays they are fully electronic. Modern dryers require a way to ventilate the dryer so the lint and moisture can exit. But, how do you install a dryer vent? The process takes five steps:
DUCT ROUTE
The first step is to determine the best route to have the duct go from the machine to the home’s exterior. You try to make this short and with minimal bends. This will ensure less possibility for excessive buildup and a potential fire hazard. We highly recommend making the distance no more than 15 feet, if possible.
PREPARING THE EXIT
Once you have the route, you need to create a hole within the home’s exterior to account for the piping. Do this hole carefully as you are impacting the integrity of the home. Creating a smaller, “practice” hole is a good idea to ensure you are heading in the right direction and there is no blockage.
PLACE THE CAP
With the hole in place, it’s time to secure the dryer vent cap to the exterior of the home. Once you’ve installed it, place calking around the opening to keep any other elements out.
CONNECT THE DRYER DUCT
With the route created and the cap installed, measure the length of the distance from the cap to the dryer. Cut the amount of ducting needed and attach the dryer vent duct to the dryer and cap.
TEST
With the vent installed and connected, you now need to run the dryer to test that it is all properly connected.
If you have questions about your dryer vents, contact the experts at The Irish Sweep.