Dryer duct in the basements

The top photo is of the four way elbow protruding into the basement from the laundry room above. I like how this closes off a large gap in the barrier between the wet, moldy basement and the living area. I took the middle photo from beside the elbow connector pointing towards the discharge end. For the basement duct I used two eight foot sections of aluminum duct. I used an aluminum connector and two clamps to join them. I carefully stretched and twisted the duct into a good, free flowing position and secured it with a strap. The bottom photo is the connection to the discharge to the outside. When I started the dryer and checked, the velocity coming out at the discharge outside was at least three times what it was when we first moved in here. The clothes never really got completely dry. Big improvement! I spent a total of 59.96 on parts and we have a completely new top of the line duct work system. If I was charging for this it should go something like this: Parts x 2 = $119.92. Labor: 6.5 hours at $50 =$325.00 making a grand total of: $444.92. I would be happy to provide photo documentation of the project. I am surprised at the guys that we paid to clean out this duct that they would do what they did. I'm sorry for them. They've lost my respect.

Dryer duct fix

This is what I did from inside the house behind the dryer. I got this white plastic couple that enables the dryer and a lead of duct to be disconnected from the rest of the duct system. I put a piece of duct which has four adjustable elbows onto the flange of the connector which screws to the floor. That is the piece in the top picture. In the middle picture I have put the connector with the elbow thing on it into the hole. That's the light from the basement showing. Beside the floor couple there is the other connector and the piece of aluminum duct which I will use as a lead from the dryer to the connector. The third picture shows everything assembled and ready to go. I just need to twist it on as in the bottom picture and work the dryer and the duct into place.

Dryer surprise

This morning I moved a load of clothes from the washer to the dryer. I went outside to look at a project I'm thinking on doing. I was standing by the dryer vent and I thought I would check to make sure the screen was clear. I noticed right away that there was no air coming out of the vent. Not even a warm whisper. My first thought was that what ever the problem it would somehow work it's way out. Then I came to my senses and went to find out what the problem was. I pulled out the dryer and saw what the bottom photo shows. I pulled on an old fleece, grabbed the flashlight and the camera and headed for the basement. I crawled into the crawl space and the air was hot and wet. Everything was covered with lint. The environment was thoroughly damp. I made my way to the place where the vent hose comes through the floor and I discovered what I photographed in the top picture. We paid money to a company to clean that duct just a month or two ago. I found that the hose was split and that an attempt to use tape to effect a repair had been made. If those guys just carried a splice it could have been easily repaired for less than $5.00 in parts. They are fired. I began then and there to make this right.