Topic: dryer vent

[micah]

so my wife and I just picked up free used washer and dryer.  The first we've ever owned! They're a little beat up and about 10 years old but supposedly work fine.  and hey, they were free!

So here's the problem.  The hook up for the dryer is on one side of our basement but the vent to the outside with a hood is on the other side.  A really rough measurement puts the dryer about 24 feet (7+ meters) length from the wall with the hole which is up near the ceiling, about 7 feet (2m) up.

Apprently you can only buy the vent hose in lengths of 8 feet so I bought 4 of them and a bunch of connectors to link them together.  I guess tonight I'm going to try and hook it all up.  Out of curiosity though I googled dryer vent lengths and I'm a little concerned that my 32' of snaking hose is going to an unsafe length for proper ventilation and lint build up.

its a mid-size capacity GE electric dryer.

anyone have any thoughts on the issue? 

[Steve]

Too far, unsafe, risky. I have owned them for a few years in a few homes and I will never go more than 5-6 feet. If it was a new model, maybe. not on something older.

[charlie]

Extension cord?

Also, why did they put the vent on the opposite side of the hookup?!?

[Steve]

Most dryers do not use a typical plug and cannot run on an extension cord. Really good question as to the placement though.

[micah]

>>Extension cord?

I'm thinking that might be an options, at least to shave a few feet off the distance. I'd have to buy a 30 amp cord though and my washer hoses are still only about 6 feet so I won't be able to move the washer much which might leave some distance between the two machines and be kinda inconvenient.

>>Also, why did they put the vent on the opposite side of the hookup?!?

this apartment was clearly built with the least amount of foresight possible.  Cheap materials, thin walls, bad layout and idiotic drops for appliance hookups.  That said, our rent is only ~$1000/mo which you just can't beat without living in the inner city.

[Steve]

>>1000/mo

Fuck CT.

I think I would trust the cord over the longer venting, but if you cannot get the vent much shorter there is no point. It might even be safer to buy a large outdoor trash can, cut a hole in the lid, and vent into that since it is only for lint removal. Google using a dryer when no vent loutlet is present. Have seen it done, never tried it myself.

[Perspective]

+1 on longer extension cord.