Dryer Vent Noise

[vespaboysf-shopping]

Our neighbor has complained about a high-pitched noise coming from our dryer. I've tested the dryer, and it makes no unusual mechanical noises, and actually seems to be fairly quiet. Today, I even demonstrated this to the neighbor, and we both agree it must be something to do with the exhaust vent and/or fan.

Right now, it's got flexible tubing (tin, aluminum?) that bends once (90 degrees) at the base of the dryer, travels up the wall about six feet, and then makes another 90 degree bend to the outside. The outlet on the outside of the building has a simple hood and flap.

Question #1: Could this setup really produce a fairly loud, high- pitched noise that can't be heard from inside (just the other side of a drywalled, non-insulated garage wall)? Question #2: Since I can't hear it from the inside, can I rule out the exhaust fan and conclude it's a whistle from rushing air moving through the vent hose? Question #3: Would moving to a rigid vent pipe or a different outlet cover help with air/whistle noises?

Thanks for any input. Much appreciated.

[Jeff Wisnia]

Is the vent so far above ground level that you can't go outside to observe if you can hear anything?

Jeff

[vespaboysf-shopping]

OK, I guess I deserve that. Point well taken. However, it's cold and windy out today, it's at the side of the house that's not the easiest to get to, and I'm not 25 anymore. ;)

Guess I just wanted to bounce it off people before I start looking at it more over the weekend.

[Norminn]

It could be the breeze blowing across at a certain angle that makes a whistling sound. Try one of the flat vent covers with little flaps (plastic) that stay shut except when the dryer is on.

[jerry_maple]

Once had a similar setup, started with an unusual dryer noise, turned into an unusual dryer smell.

Laundry room was next to the garage. First story of the 2-story house was block, second story was frame. Dryer vent pipe ran up, then over so it could exit through the frame part of the wall, a lot easier than drilling a 4 inch hole through block.

Started hearing small chirping noises from the dryer area, went away after 3 or 4 days. Then we noticed a smell around the dryer area, started getting worse and WORSE. When the smell go so bad my wife couldn't stand it, I started investigating. Started opening up the dryer while trying not to inhale. Eventually found a decaying bird wedged into the squirrel-cage blower area of the dryer.

Looked outside, the flapper was blocked open with lint buildup. Bird had apparently gone into the outside tube, fallen down to the first floor, couldn't get back up, so he went the other direction. Eventually went to bird heaven inside the dryer and started rotting.

To prevent a repeat, after cleaning up the hood and flapper, installed a cover of 1/2 inch mesh hardware cloth over the dryer vent.

Not saying that's your neighbor's problem, but it's not impossible.

Jerry

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Yes

No

Very possible. Noise does some funny things. A few years ago our company went from two to three shifts. A neighbor about four blocks away complained of the noise of our compressor. He came home late so the second shift never bothered him, but now the third shift did. The noise traveled up the river by the plant to his house where the harmonics drove him nuts. It was just a matter of changing an air intake in this case. It did not bother him standing near it, and he could not even hear it across the parking lot, but up stream, it was very noticeable.

My guess is you have a similar situation. I'd try changing the flapper vent first. You may want to wrap some foam rubber around it where it passes through the wall as that may be setting up some vibration or acting as a sound board.

[CDET 14]

Get rid of the flexible vent in the wall. It is a fire hazard and against most local building codes.

Alisa LeSueur, Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician