My inside dryer operated very poorly, and I found out it was because
the dryer vent was heavily clogged by lint and even dryer papers. The
vent pipe goes vertically up to the ceiling and then horizontally out
of the house. The vent pipe is metal, and the horizontal section is
aluminum. I put a sewer snake through both ends, trying to break the
lint. The snake can go quite a distance from either end, but cannot
make a turn to go all the way through. When I pushed the snake hard, I
heard a noise sounded like a click. The noise is like you use your
palm to hold up your car's sunroof and the roof drops down if you
release your hand. I do not know whether I have broken the section
that connects horizontal pipe and vertical pipe. Is there a way that I
can check it, for example, a camera that I can put inside and take
pictures? And if the section breaks, it will be a big trouble. Is
there any solution to that?

Chang,

Some plumbers do have cameras to do exactly this. Look in your
phonebook.

Good luck,
Dave M.

Joe,

I cannot, because the vent pipe is completely embedded inside the
wall. It is a two-story house, and the horizontal part of the vent
pipe is in between the ceiling of ground story and floor of the second
story. I am just a little worried that if I break the connection, how
difficult it is to fix.

Thanks anyway
Chang


osspam (Joe Bobst) wrote in message ...
I put a sewer snake through both ends, trying to break the
lint.

Can't you simply disassemble the entire pipe run for clean out? Alternatively,
use a shop vacuum to remove debris. HTH

Joe

Chang Kuang wrote:
My inside dryer operated very poorly, and I found out it was because
the dryer vent was heavily clogged by lint and even dryer papers. The
vent pipe goes vertically up to the ceiling and then horizontally out
of the house. The vent pipe is metal, and the horizontal section is
aluminum. I put a sewer snake through both ends, trying to break the
lint. The snake can go quite a distance from either end, but cannot
make a turn to go all the way through. When I pushed the snake hard, I
heard a noise sounded like a click. The noise is like you use your
palm to hold up your car's sunroof and the roof drops down if you
release your hand. I do not know whether I have broken the section
that connects horizontal pipe and vertical pipe. Is there a way that I
can check it, for example, a camera that I can put inside and take
pictures? And if the section breaks, it will be a big trouble. Is
there any solution to that?

What kind of material is the vent made of? Is it flexible metal,
flexible foil covered material or solid metal? If it is anything other
than solid metal, time to replace it, even if it is not going to be easy to
do. It is not safe to leave the other stuff in service. A professional
should be able to replace it with minimal disruption to the walls.


--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

What kind of material is the vent made of? Is it flexible metal,
flexible foil covered material or solid metal? If it is anything other
than solid metal, time to replace it, even if it is not going to be easy to
do. It is not safe to leave the other stuff in service. A professional
should be able to replace it with minimal disruption to the walls.



Joseph,

The vertical part is pretty stiff, I guess that is what you mean by
"solid metal". The horizontal part is "wave-like" shiny aluminum from
what I see. Is that what you mean by "flexible foil covered material"?

I am just curious how these two parts are connected together. Probably
the top part of vertical solid metal part has extended horizontally
(like the rain gutter), and then run into the horizontal aluminum pipe,
which has a bigger caliber.

Thanks,
Chang

Chang Kuang wrote:
What kind of material is the vent made of? Is it flexible metal,
flexible foil covered material or solid metal? If it is anything
other than solid metal, time to replace it, even if it is not going
to be easy to do. It is not safe to leave the other stuff in
service. A professional should be able to replace it with minimal
disruption to the walls.



Joseph,

The vertical part is pretty stiff,

It should not bend at all without crimping. That you should be able to
hold a five foot section horizontal and not have it bend or sag. It should
be smooth inside and out. That sounds like what you have.

I guess that is what you mean by
"solid metal". The horizontal part is "wave-like" shiny aluminum from
what I see. Is that what you mean by "flexible foil covered material"?

It is harder for me to describe the flexible types. One is made from
the same material as the solid metal stuff, but is designed with angle
joints that when twisted will change a short (less than about a foot)
section to change from straight to a 90º bend and will hold that shape.
Both of the other two usually come labeled as vent hose and often sold for
dryer venting. They are just bent into shape or in the case of the really
light weight stuff will just fall into shape.

I don't like either of these for dryer vents. Both have the corrugated
interiors that reduce air flow and pick up lint. Neither is very fire proof
and sorry to say, fire is a possibility with a lint filled vent.


I am just curious how these two parts are connected together.

The solid stuff is crimped on one end and that crimped end slips inside
the end of the last pipe. In a dryer vent the crimp ends should always be
at the end away from the dryer. In some applications screws are used to
secure them, but for a dryer the screws will cause lint build up and they
should only be taped using real "duct" tape not duck tape.

The other stuff is often attached using some sort of clamp.

I hope that helps.

Probably
the top part of vertical solid metal part has extended horizontally
(like the rain gutter), and then run into the horizontal aluminum
pipe, which has a bigger caliber.

Thanks,
Chang

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

You can try calling the local tool rental shops and see if they have a
camera you can rent. Alternatively, you could try a notebook PC
connected to a USB camera connected to a stiff stick or rod.

I wouldn't get too worried. Even if you determine the pipe is broken,
the fix is still relatively easy. You just need to cut open the
drywall between the studs where the pipe is located, replace, then
patch and repaint. Since this is usually in a laundry room of limited
size, the mess and scope is easily contained.

It should not bend at all without crimping. That you should be able to
hold a five foot section horizontal and not have it bend or sag. It should
be smooth inside and out. That sounds like what you have.

Yes the vertical part is smooth inside and out, but the cross section is
not purely circular or rectangular. Instead, it is like an eclipse:

---------
///- -\\\
// \\
/ \
|| ||
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|| ||
-----------------------
\-------------------/


The solid stuff is crimped on one end and that crimped end slips inside
the end of the last pipe. In a dryer vent the crimp ends should always be
at the end away from the dryer. In some applications screws are used to
secure them, but for a dryer the screws will cause lint build up and they
should only be taped using real "duct" tape not duck tape. The other stuff is often attached using some sort of clamp.

I still do not understand how the the vertical part connects to the
horizontal part. Since the horizontal part is of large caliber, how can
the vertical part seamlessly connects to it? I can think of two cases,
as shown in the two figures below). Which case is more like the reality?
And, did I break that connection (see my original post)?

CASE 1:

+---------------------------------------------+
|---------------------------------------------|
+------+----+---------------------------------------------|
|IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII|----------------------------------------|
|IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII|----------horizontal-pipe---------------|
+IIIIIII----+---------------------------------------------|
|IIIIII| |---------------------------------------------|
|IIIIII| +---------------------------------------------+
|IIIIII| out
|IIvIII| of
|IIeIII| the
|IIrIII| house
|IItIII|
|IIIIII|
+-----+IIIIII+
|IIIIIIIIIIII|
|IIIIIIIIIIII|
+-----+------+
To Dryer

CASE 2:


*----------------------------------------+
/-----------------------------------------|
/------------------------------------------|
*II*----------------------------------------|
|III\---------------------------------------|
|IIII\--------------------------------------|
|IIIII\+------------------------------------+
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
+IIIII+IIIIII+
|IIIIIIIIIIII|
|IIIIIIIIIIII|
+-----+------+

To Dryer

Chet Hayes wrote:

You can try calling the local tool rental shops and see if they have a
camera you can rent. Alternatively, you could try a notebook PC
connected to a USB camera connected to a stiff stick or rod.

I wouldn't get too worried. Even if you determine the pipe is broken,
the fix is still relatively easy. You just need to cut open the
drywall between the studs where the pipe is located, replace, then
patch and repaint. Since this is usually in a laundry room of limited
size, the mess and scope is easily contained.

Chet,
Do you have an idea how much this might cost. It seems a big project to
me :-( I am living in California.

Thanks!

Chang Kuang wrote:
It should not bend at all without crimping. That you should be
able to
hold a five foot section horizontal and not have it bend or sag. It
should
be smooth inside and out. That sounds like what you have.

Yes the vertical part is smooth inside and out, but the cross section
is not purely circular or rectangular. Instead, it is like an eclipse:

---------
///- -\\\
// \\
/ \
|| ||
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|| ||
-----------------------
\-------------------/

Thats stuff is OK, it is just a different shape.



The solid stuff is crimped on one end and that crimped end slips
inside
the end of the last pipe. In a dryer vent the crimp ends should
always be
at the end away from the dryer. In some applications screws are
used to
secure them, but for a dryer the screws will cause lint build up and
they
should only be taped using real "duct" tape not duck tape. The other
stuff is often attached using some sort of clamp.

I still do not understand how the the vertical part connects to the
horizontal part. Since the horizontal part is of large caliber, how
can the vertical part seamlessly connects to it? I can think of two
cases, as shown in the two figures below). Which case is more like
the reality? And, did I break that connection (see my original post)?


Sorry the ASCI art got mugged.

CASE 1:

+---------------------------------------------+
|---------------------------------------------|
+------+----+---------------------------------------------|
|IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII|----------------------------------------|
|IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII|----------horizontal-pipe---------------|
+IIIIIII----+---------------------------------------------|
|IIIIII| |---------------------------------------------|
|IIIIII| +---------------------------------------------+
|IIIIII| out
|IIvIII| of
|IIeIII| the
|IIrIII|
house |IItIII|
|IIIIII|
+-----+IIIIII+
|IIIIIIIIIIII|
|IIIIIIIIIIII|
+-----+------+
To Dryer

CASE 2:


*----------------------------------------+
/-----------------------------------------|
/------------------------------------------|
*II*----------------------------------------|
|III\---------------------------------------|
|IIII\--------------------------------------|
|IIIII\+------------------------------------+
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
+IIIII+IIIIII+
|IIIIIIIIIIII|
|IIIIIIIIIIII|
+-----+------+

To Dryer

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Sorry the ASCI art got mugged.

Joseph, what program do you use to read newsgroup? Could you see this:
http://home.comcast.net/~pbrett2/ventpipetwocases.jpg



CASE 1:

+---------------------------------------------+
|---------------------------------------------|
+------+----+---------------------------------------------|
|IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII|----------------------------------------|
|IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII|----------horizontal-pipe---------------|
+IIIIIII----+---------------------------------------------|
|IIIIII| |---------------------------------------------|
|IIIIII| +---------------------------------------------+
|IIIIII| out
|IIvIII| of
|IIeIII| the
|IIrIII| house
|IItIII|
|IIIIII|
+-----+IIIIII+
|IIIIIIIIIIII|
|IIIIIIIIIIII|
+-----+------+
To Dryer

CASE 2:


*----------------------------------------+
/-----------------------------------------|
/------------------------------------------|
*II*----------------------------------------|
|III\---------------------------------------|
|IIII\--------------------------------------|
|IIIII\+------------------------------------+
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
|IIIIII|
+IIIII+IIIIII+
|IIIIIIIIIIII|
|IIIIIIIIIIII|
+-----+------+

To Dryer

Chang Kuang wrote:
Sorry the ASCI art got mugged.

Joseph, what program do you use to read newsgroup? Could you see this:
http://home.comcast.net/~pbrett2/ventpipetwocases.jpg



That I could see. In any case the corners are generally turned using
pre-formed parts made from sheet metal (usually aluminum for dryers).


--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

On 22 Apr 2004 00:13:30 -0700, someone wrote:


And if the section breaks, it will be a big trouble.

Why so?

Sheetrock work is not so much hard as time consuming.

Open the wall and ceiling as needed and fix it. Not a big deal.
Rather than make a lot of trouble for yourself trying to work thru a
small hole, I'd suggest opeing up from stud to stud (or joist to
joist) and then you have big area to work in, and can easily
nail.screw the replacement pieces of wallboard back in.

Of course, if you have some kind of precious special wall paper, well
now that is a bother. But merely replacing a small area of painted
sheetrock is not that major.

-v.

"v" wrote in message

And if the section breaks, it will be a big trouble.

Why so?

Sheetrock work is not so much hard as time consuming.

Open the wall and ceiling as needed and fix it. Not a big deal.
Rather than make a lot of trouble for yourself trying to work thru a
small hole, I'd suggest opeing up from stud to stud (or joist to
joist) and then you have big area to work in, and can easily
nail.screw the replacement pieces of wallboard back in.

In my downstairs laundry/bathroom the dryer vent is in the wall. I've had a
couple of problems with it. Instead of drywall patching, I screwed a piece
of masonite over the opening and painted it along with the wall. Easy
access and hardly noticeable.

On another wall I have an opening from when the shower valve had to be
replaced. It has a mirror over it and is easily removed if I ever have to
get to it again.
Ed

http://pages.cthome.net/edhome