3 inch dryer pipe issue / replacing dryer vent
Hello everyone! I'm a novice DIYer and recently encountered a strange issue in my new house. A chimney sweep came by to inspect our fireplaces and also cleaned our dryer duct. During the inspection, he found that our dryer vent pipe inside the wall was only 3 inches in diameter (where code requires 4 inches). Even worse, it was duct-taped inside the wall. He warned us that this setup is a fire hazard and not up to code. Based on my research, replacing the vent seemed straightforward, and I’ve installed dryer vents before. However, I ran into a snag: the vent pipe runs about eight feet up the wall, makes a 90-degree turn, and then runs horizontally for another five feet to the outside. Partway through that five-foot horizontal run, there are two pipes blocking the path, so I can't slide a 4-inch replacement through. Has anyone in HVAC faced something like this or have a suggestion on how to proceed? I've tried calling HVAC companies, but it’s a small job and hard to schedule. Could something like this rectangular TiteFit duct (linked below) be used inside the wall? Also attached an image of the pipes that are blocking it. The original run rested right on top of those pipes. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Lambro-TiteFit-90-Degree-Rectangular-Aluminum-Dryer-Duct-3006/323135416 submitted by /u/WeekendWrench [link] [comments]
| | Hello everyone! I'm a novice DIYer and recently encountered a strange issue in my new house. A chimney sweep came by to inspect our fireplaces and also cleaned our dryer duct. During the inspection, he found that our dryer vent pipe inside the wall was only 3 inches in diameter (where code requires 4 inches). Even worse, it was duct-taped inside the wall. He warned us that this setup is a fire hazard and not up to code. Based on my research, replacing the vent seemed straightforward, and I’ve installed dryer vents before. However, I ran into a snag: the vent pipe runs about eight feet up the wall, makes a 90-degree turn, and then runs horizontally for another five feet to the outside. Partway through that five-foot horizontal run, there are two pipes blocking the path, so I can't slide a 4-inch replacement through. Has anyone in HVAC faced something like this or have a suggestion on how to proceed? I've tried calling HVAC companies, but it’s a small job and hard to schedule. Could something like this rectangular TiteFit duct (linked below) be used inside the wall? Also attached an image of the pipes that are blocking it. The original run rested right on top of those pipes. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Lambro-TiteFit-90-Degree-Rectangular-Aluminum-Dryer-Duct-3006/323135416 [link] [comments] |
