I have never been able to make a good connection from my dryer to the 4" metal vent. I am using a flexible aluminum tube right now, but every time I move the dryer it comes loose. I even have the one with one end crimped down so it will fit into the vent pipe.
Can anyone suggest a method to make the connection at least semipermanent?
Thanks a lot.
Bill Gill
Mine goes OVER the vent pipe, and is held there with a hose clamp, the type you screw tight.
You can also drill a couple small holes through the vent pipe and the collar on the back of the dryer and run some sheet metal screws into the holes. Disadvantages: It limits the ability to quickly move the dryer, and also can act as a lint "trap" if the screws protrude into the pipe, but it will prevent the connection from vibrating apart.
Smarty
They have a kit now that has a plastic collar which threads on the flex metal pipe. It works pretty well. I got it at the BORG
Either sheet metal screws (as another poster suggested) or use the Al (not the Al coated fabric tape but pure Al metal) to hold the connections together.
If you bite the bullet and replace the flexible vent with rigid vent you can put an elbow at the dryer and keep that connection in place just by backing the dryer into the connection. All other connections would be semi-permanent (Al tape or screws). You can usually route rigid vent pipe anywhere you can run flex.
You may be able to back the dryer into the vent, but I am way to big to slide behind the dryer to guide the dryer and vent together while I am out in front sliding it in.
I think I will see about the plastic sleeve somebody mentioned.
Bill Gill
I tried the plastic sleeve type. Unfortunately it was designed to fit 2 different dryer vent sizes and used a felt filler for fastening onto a new Kenmore gas dryer. Felt dried up in a few months and vent fell off. Ripped off the plastic piece and got a hose clamp to put metal end on dryer the old fashion way.
Use rigid metal. Put an elbow right at the dryer and a section of rigid to a point where you can access it easily. The rigid vent and elbow are permanently attached to the dryer with metal foil tape and some strapping to hold the rigid vent in place so it doesn't more around. Then all you have to deal with is the connection at the end of the rigid metal and that's now in a location where you can get to it easily.
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