Dryer vent cleanout idea

Jay_H

Existing 4" ventpipe from a dryer with a downfacing vent. vent goes through the floor (unfinished basement) into a 90deg elbow and then straight out through the exterior wall. Maybe this is a plumbing thing but I was thinking of installing a TEE instead of the 90deg elbow to assist in cleaning out the ventpipe (not frequently) but wondering if this is worth it or totally not recommended. I am concerned with lint collecting at the T as opposed to doing the 90deg turn and eventually clogging up, defeating the entire purpose of having a T there, in other words...

Is the T a bad idea? Any first hand experience out there?

Jay

Fred

Some of the big box stores sell dryer vent kits that have a Tee in them with some kind of filter. They are not for clean-out but to recover the exhaust heat and vent it into an interior space. I don't know how well they work but they seem to sell well.

JakeCK

> @Fred said:
> Some of the big box stores sell dryer vent kits that have a Tee in them with some kind of filter. They are not for clean-out but to recover the exhaust heat and vent it into an interior space. I don't know how well they work but they seem to sell well.

I've seen those, and they seem like a good way to get mold in your house. A lot of moist hot air getting dumped right into the house. And if its a gas dryer it's exhaust too.

ChrisJ

JakeCK said:

> @Fred said:

> Some of the big box stores sell dryer vent kits that have a Tee in them with some kind of filter. They are not for clean-out but to recover the exhaust heat and vent it into an interior space. I don't know how well they work but they seem to sell well.



I've seen those, and they seem like a good way to get mold in your house. A lot of moist hot air getting dumped right into the house. And if its a gas dryer it's exhaust too.

They're only intended for electric driers and I'd expect it to only be used in the winter.

I wouldn't want the extra lint my self.

Fred

JakeCK said:

> @Fred said:

> Some of the big box stores sell dryer vent kits that have a Tee in them with some kind of filter. They are not for clean-out but to recover the exhaust heat and vent it into an interior space. I don't know how well they work but they seem to sell well.



I've seen those, and they seem like a good way to get mold in your house. A lot of moist hot air getting dumped right into the house. And if its a gas dryer it's exhaust too.

Probably not nearly as mold prone as a forced air furnace with a humidifier.