Clothes Dryer Vent

[Aaron D. Miller]

Client's daughter has 2007 townhome where clothes dryer top gets hot and does not dry clothes. She had the vent professionally cleaned and they found no obstructions. Builder (of course) says that it was installed properly. They want me to take a peek and perform miracles. My idea is to run the dryer and use the IR camera to try and trace the length of the vent in the wall. Any better ideas?

[Russell J. Hensel]

It seems to be a way to cure, but I will still bet that there is an obstruction. Maybe they looked at the dryer vent and not the Dryer itself. Maybe clogged at the rear of the dryer. I would go to a dryer that is somewhat similar and take a reading with the IR at the exhaust of an operational dryer and then one at hers to see if the temps are similar. Just because someone says its right, Does not make it right.

Has this been going on since day one or gradually started?

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by amiller

Client's daughter has 2007 townhome where clothes dryer top gets hot and does not dry clothes. She had the vent professionally cleaned and they found no obstructions. Builder (of course) says that it was installed properly. They want me to take a peek and perform miracles. My idea is to run the dryer and use the IR camera to try and trace the length of the vent in the wall. Any better ideas?

Has the dryer itself been checked...blockage, thermostat other mechanical problem?

Your IR idea is good.

[Curtis M. Vilt]

How long is the run? How many elbows? Then check the manual of the dryer. I'm sure you checked but have seen this as the cause on a few.

[Aaron D. Miller]

She reports it has always been this way.

[Michael Larson]

If it is safe to do so, disconnect the vent system and vent it into the room as a short term test of performance to see if the dryer still gets hot.

[Aaron D. Miller]

She reports that the dryer does dry clothes with the vent disconnected.

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by amiller

She reports that the dryer does dry clothes with the vent disconnected.

Then there must be an obstuction.

If you are lucky it will show up with the thermal scan depending how the pipe runs.

Make sure the termination fitting is sized correctly for the pipe length as well.

Sometimes too small a outlet is used restricting flow.

The louvered ones seem to work best as long as the mechanism keeps operating.

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by amiller

She reports that the dryer does dry clothes with the vent disconnected.

If that is true, then it would seem to be the vent pipe length or an obstruction issue. Get make and model and check installation instructions.

[Curtis M. Vilt]

Originally Posted by lkage

If that is true, then it would seem to be the vent pipe length or an obstruction issue. Get make and model and check installation instructions.

I think I heard that before.

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by cvilt

I think I heard that before.

I seem to remember that

[Jeffrey R. Jonas]

May sound far-fetched, but try cleaning/scrubbing the lint filter trap. The residues from fabric softeners build up and actually create a blockage. This should be done every month, primarily to lessen a lint fire hazard.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5389332_clea...fficiency.html

[Nanci Hagarty]

Aaron, were you able to detect the vent run with ir?

[Aaron D. Miller]

Yes, I was.

[Jim Hime]

What was the end result after you inspected?