What's the name of that tube that goes from a dryer to the exit duct? Anyway, our cat has clawed through it. Can I duct tape it or will the heat melt the tape? Thanks again : -)
- posted
17 years ago
duck tape on dryer heat vent?
Loading thread data ...
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
They are not very expensive. Personally I would just buy a new one.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
The heat will melt it. Get the special aluminum (?) tape designed for this purpose, it can handle the heat.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
It would get clawed through too. I'm thinking the duct tape will be more resilient.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
That tube should be made of metal. You don't want one of those foil or plastic "flexi" hoses on your dryer vent.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
If the cat was able to claw through it, that means it's one of those wire-reinforced vinyl hoses. Those things really aren't safe. Do yourself a favor and replace it with a flexible aluminum duct (around $15-20 at Home Depot or Lowes).
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
Don't try and fix it as you have the wrong kind of vent to begin with. It should be an all metal vent. Not corrugated. They don't cost much and are not difficult to replace. There will be less chance of new damage, or fire and the dryer will work better because of less restriction of the air flow.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
"Joseph Meehan" wrote
Jumping on the bandwagon, replace the plastic vent with a metal one, and I don't mean that expandable aluminum foil type. If your cat can get to the thing, I guarantee you it's somewhere where it can easily be squished. I know, I had that kind, ran it behind some utility shelving and something must have fallen on it. A fire hazard. Do yourself and your family a favor and Don't go there.
nancy
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
But to take my life in my hands and answer your actual question, yes you can do this, and no, it doesn't melt the tape. I used one rigged like this for years. Safe? Probably not, but I'm here to tell the tale.
Jo Ann
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
It's called the transition duct.
formatting link
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
If your cat destroyes it, it's probably ribbed vinyl. Replace it with 4" galvanized duct, and it won't trap lint.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
imho:
Often a hose clamp might work. If you need to use a tape, I would use one that there is no question it won't melt. use metal tape.
tom @
formatting link
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
It'll work. Temporarily. You'll have to re-tape eventually as duct tape gets brittle.
Melt? Hardly. The hot air that comes from a dryer vent is not really hot air. It's more like "lukewarm air," or "tepid air."
Don't believe? Poke a meat thermometer through the vinyl pipe and watch the thermometer not move.
If you're still worried about the pipe melting, replace it with a cardboard tube.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
When I had this problem, temporarily I just put a washcloth on top of the hole. That worked fine until I needed it to take a bath.
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
Thank all of you for the help. I went to Home Depot but they didn't have any good transition ducts so I decided to tape up the old one with metal tape. It was difficult for me until I bought some clamps that had the perforations instead of two brackets that were drawn together by a screw. It made a lot of difference.
Two things fixed this week - a transition duct and a stopped up toilet. Usually I break more things that I fix. Thanks again : -)