Complete dryer vent concealment

[Wayne Whitney]

Is there any way to set up a rear venting dryer so that the dryer can be (almost) flush with the back wall? I'd prefer to avoid leaving a

4" gap for a length of flexible dryer vent.

This is a stacked washer/dryer in a 32" square laundry alcove I'm building. I currently have a 2x5 wall behind the dryer, so it can contain rigid 4" ductwork. I have a 90 degree bend with a flange that I can mount on that wall at just the right location to line up with vent outlet on the back of the dryer.

But then how do I actually install the dryer? The best idea I have had is to have a short length of rigid duct on the back sticking out, and carefully slide the dryer in so that the duct lines up with the port in the wall. That seems very difficult, though. Has anyone done anything like this?

Thanks, Wayne

[I-zheet M'drurz]

a 32" square alcove!? I'm amazed.

The folks at Berkeley owe you a refund, you done flunked the entire common sense portion of your education. Fear not, you can always get a job teaching.

[Wayne Whitney]

Well, it's actually 31" wide by 36" deep, so it is plenty of room for the 27" x 27" stack I have. I even have enough room to allocate 4" at the rear for the flexible dryer vent if necessary, I'd just prefer not to. As to your other comments, this is in Berkeley, so space is at a premium. It was a choice between a larger laundry space or a half bath, and the half bath won.

Cheers, Wayne

[Joseph Meehan]

My dryer almost lines up with the vent inside the wall the builder put in. If I were putting it in I could have had it line up, until I replaced the dryer. In my case I just have a couple of els and I just push the drying back so they match.

[Jeff Prevett]

If you haven't put up the drywall, you can install a box inside the wall that allows clearance. This box fits between the studs. There are many companies that make them. One is

There are also 'periscope' vents instead of the round ducting. IMO, I would install the box that fits between the studs.

Jeff

[jeff]

Hi,

What is the make of the unit? Some stacked units ( Maytag is one ) has a channel built into the back of the unit to allow the vent pipe so the washer/dryer can be a closer to the wall when installed. If the vent pipe in the wall and the dryer exit are at different spot and not lined up directly across from another, there are some ducts made to take up less space...EG:

Vent - Use when vent outlets overlap or are offset. Provides

2-1/2-inch clearance between dryer and wall. Extends to 18 inches.

Dryer Vent Periscope, 0-inch to 5-inch - Includes uniquely designed periscope to allow close placement of the dryer to the wall. Vent adjusts from 0 inches to 5 inches and pivots 180 degrees. Metal clamps make installation easy with common household tools.

This is also and neat product....

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[Wayne Whitney]

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for! Just today I put up the wallboard at the back of the alcove, which is what got me thinking that my scheme would not work so well. But the other side of that wall is still open, hopefully that will be enough so I don't have to redo the wallboard.

Cheers, Wayne

[HerHusband]

Wayne,

I purchased a "Dryer Box" from dryerbox.com, but decided not to use it. The box vents out the top which means I would have either had to go 14' straight up to the roof, or else put two elbows in the wall to loop back down to the crawlspace and angle again out to the outside wall.

What I did instead was frame a small opening in the wall, about 2 feet wide and 1 foot high. I built it much like a small doorway, with a header over the opening (It's a bearing wall built with 2x6's). Then I covered the backside with plywood for strength, and drywalled both sides. The vent pipe comes up through the floor in this little niche, and provides an extra 5 inches or so of space for the flexible dryer vent to slide back into.

We're still building the house, so I haven't hooked up the dryer yet, but in theory it should allow the dryer to sit closer to the wall.

Anthony

[RB]

GE lamps used to be high quality. Lately I haven't seen one that wasn't labeled "junk" but spelled "China." I wonder how long it will take before manufacturers discover that some consumers want quality, not lowest price.

RB

Wayne Whitney wrote:

[Joseph Meehan]

The consumer wants cheap price and quality. Large companies are run by CEo's who know they will only be there for a few years at most and want great sales increases and profits to assure large retirements and bonuses. They know they can fool the consumer and they will be gone by the time the consumer figures it out.

The corporate system has many advantages and is required for many businesses, but it is not without it's faults.