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.

wrote:

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.



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

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

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.

wrote:
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.

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.

On May 11, 3:30 pm, wrote:


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.


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

wrote in message

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)?

Yes

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?

No


Question #3: Would moving to a rigid vent pipe or a different outlet
cover help with air/whistle noises?

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.

On May 11, 5:30 pm, wrote:
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.



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
http://CleanYourOwnDryerVent.com