How to Install an Indoor Dryer Vent

Every clothes dryer, whether electric or gas operated, expels moist air from the dryer. through the indoor dryer vent, and into the outside air. From most dryers that have been in operation, this air is almost always vented through an exterior wall vent, although some home owner who don't mind the moist air in their home don't vent their dryer. However, if you plan to move your dryer to a room—or into your basement—where no vent opening in the wall has been made, and if you want to vent hot most air into the outside air, you will need to install a vent opening in a wall. With a few simple tools and installation instruction such as those below, you should be able install a dryer vent in your wall in a few minutes. 

Step 1 – Check your Prospective Passageway

Before creating a hole in your wall, you'll need to be sure that in drilling through your wall you won't be severing wall studs, electrical lines or conduit, or plumbing or natural gas pipes. Select a place on a wall as close as possible to your dryer vent. Then, use a stud finder to locate inside that wall studs, conduit, etc. On the wall surface inside which you detected studs and other obstacles, make a light pencil mark.

Step 2 –  Mark a Place for Your Vent Hole

Halfway between the 2 marks you made on your wall to designate locations of wall studs, conduits, etc., hold your dryer hose end against the wall and use it as a guide to draw a circle.

Step 3 – Cut a Vent Hole

Locate the center of the circle you drew on your wall, and place a small mark. With your drill and a speed bit that will be long enough to drill through the interior and exterior wall surfaces, and drill through the wall. Insert the blade of your hole saw through the hole you just drilled, then saw from the middle hole to the edge of your circle. Saw around the edge of the circle until you have created a hole slightly larger than the dryer vent hose. If your exterior wall surface is masonry or aluminum siding, you will need a masonry bit to make the first hole and a cold chisel to chip away the brick inside the larger circle. Try not to make the hole more than 1/4 inches larger than the vent hose.

Step 4 – Attach the Vent Housing

At the outside wall, insert the vent housing into the hole, and use the hardware included in your vent kit to mount the vent housing. When the housing is straight and secure in the hole, use your finger to test the vent flap to be sure it will open freely with pressure from dryer air.

Step 5 – Install Hardware and Vent Pipe on the Inside Wall Opening

Connect the vent housing and hose to the dryer and secure the hose onto the dryer vent. Caulk around the vent hose on both interior and exterior walls.