Dryer started not drying clothes as effectively this week, finally got around to trying to clean out the vent and check on a few things. Much to my surprise, I heard a weird sound coming from the outside vent.

https://streamable.com/71a2lc

What's my move here? It's not clear if this is just condensation buildup or if my vent pipe has cracked and is letting in outside water. Since it's below the level of the house, I'm not currently concerned about leaking into the house.

How often do you clean out the lint in this line? Is it just collecting the moisture from the wet clothes?

I start with a hand pump for the water and dryer vent brush for the lint and then check it regularly to see if it starts collecting water again.

I just cleaned the line and replaced the hose in the last 2 months. Never noticed water in it before, not even a little bit.

I just pumped the water out and it seems like there is more filling in, but will have to check back later tonight to see if the level rises

Is there a U, P, S, sag, or bend in the line?

My first house was Pier and beam. Tried to do a load of towels & sheets the first night after using them for packing/moving and the dang things wouldn't dry. Got under the house and sellers had rigged up a flex hose running under the floor rather than a rigid line to the exterior wall. Unhooked it and poured out a few gallons of water, voila dryer worked. My guess is they had been venting the dryer into the crawl space but rigged up the hose for the home inspection.

Vent pipe goes into the wall, bends down about 12-18 inches, runs through the slab to the outside wall, then bends back up 12-18 inches to the vent opening. I don't have eyes on the middle section of the pipe to see if there is a crack or other entry point for outside water to seep in.

We've been in this house 2.5 years and this is the first time I've had this happen. Makes me think it's external water getting into the vent as opposed to condensation or moisture coming from the dryer.

We are currently building and everything I read says not to use PVC as a dryer vent pipe but I have had it in a house before with no issues and find it to be much more sturdy and easier to clean than the flimsy metal stuff. Anyone have a good reason to not use PVC? Internet says static causes lint to cling.

We only have about an 8' direct run to get out

Would heat from the dryer cause regular PVC to become brittle over time? I think the gray PVC is UV resistant so maybe it would also do better under hot conditions…

BiggiesLX said:

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Would heat from the dryer cause regular PVC to become brittle over time? I think the gray PVC is UV resistant so maybe it would also do better under hot conditions…

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The house we had before had the same thin walled, sewer pipe OP has and it was going on 20 years with no issues

cevans_40 said:

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We are currently building and everything I read says not to use PVC as a dryer vent pipe but I have had it in a house before with no issues and find it to be much more sturdy and easier to clean than the flimsy metal stuff. Anyone have a good reason to not use PVC? Internet says static causes lint to cling.

We only have about an 8' direct run to get out

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I'm willing to bet the main reason as the same reason they tell us woodworking types when saying not to use it for dust collection...PVC can create static electricity.

Static electricity could actually cause more lint to stick to it, I would guess, too.

Oh. And I use a very rigid flex pipe on mine. Can stretch a bit and shape but it is very rigid.



Lowe's Link

Your dryer vent runs through your slab?

All plumbing and water runs through the slab on this house