Need Advice about dryer venting through the roof!!!

Sorry this is LONG - I've mentioned this in the past but I'm trying something different and I want input as to whether this is a good idea or NOT.

A while back I was talking with someone on another laundry forum who had the same problem of her and her husband having to clean the entire run as their dryer that also vented through the roof. Here's a cut/paste of what she and her husband did that she had posted on the other forum.

______Been there, done that...lint is such a HUGE annoyance to my life.
We're in a 2nd floor condo where the dryer vent ducting goes to the roof through the attic over 20 feet and several elbows. My husband bought the condo years before we met, and the ducting was clogged after several years. At the time, he decided to disconnect the vent from the duct. The resulting moisture did some damage to the cabinetry (swelling of the particle board, even under layers of oil-based paint). Soon after we married, he decided we needed to fix the problem correctly. He went up into the attic and disassembled the ducting, brought it outside, and blew it out with his air compressor. I pushed some cleaning tool through it as well.

We can't be doing this regularly! I mean preferably, never again! So, I had him put a filter -- a gallon paint strainer -- over the dryer vent where it connects to the machine. This clogs every month or so, we pull the machine out, disconnect the vent, clean the strainer, and put it back. This is still an annoying chore, but not the nightmare of dealing with the whole duct run.______

So since my DRYER is very easy for me to get behind, I decided to try this. I bought a gallon mesh paint strainer with an elastic top that fits like a trash bag into a trash can in the small duct that hooks from the back of the dryer to the wall.....I guess it acts like a second filter to keep the lint from going into the run.

Will this be safe as long as I diligently check every couple of weeks to a month?

I have a leaf blower and a lint brush system........But the problem is my roof pitch is way too steep! I got up there once and never again. I was literally feeling like I was going to slide of and I was clinging to the roof and praying as I slowly made my way to the ladder telling myself if I get out of this alive I will never get up there again -and I haven't! The roof cap gets lint caught in it, so I have to stand on the edge of a ladder and I have this telescoping pole that is very long that I bought for this reason. I tape a lint brush to the end of it and stand on the top of the ladder at the edge of the roof and with the dryer running I run the brush through the roof cap as best as I can AFTER cleaning the entire run (but from the bottom up) since I refuse to go to the roof and this has worked pretty well. I also use an electric leaf blower. I do this like every six months or so.....The dryer dries amazingly fast when it's done, but it only takes about 2 months before I start noticing the slow increase in drying and I'm dreading going through that process again.......it's not a horribly difficult process but it's just that it seems to happen too often!

When the dryer roof cap was first put on, it actually had a wire SCREEN on it which was the most ridiculous thing. It clogged quicker than anything . I took the screen off but lint still sticks to the edges after a few months......

Here is a pic (not of my roof) but very similar, only my roof is much steeper and the roof cap is at the very top.

Now as to my question: Is this paint strainer SAFE? It's very lightweight? I'm trying it right now now that my vent is completely been cleaned, roof cap and all......I'm hoping that this will keep the run clean and all I have to do is clean this instead.

Here's the back of my dryer with the paint strainer on and a picture of what the paint strainer looks like.

I'm just paranoid about the hot air and the material in the paint strainer. The lady on the forum said it had kept her vent run clean for 9 years and she had no issues


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Post# 644969 12/8/2012 at 09:51 (4,180 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)
Checkrate/Likes Sorry this is LONG - I've mentioned this in the past but I'm trying something different and I want input as to whether this is a good idea or NOT. A while back I was talking with someone on another laundry forum who had the same problem of her and her husband having to clean the entire run as their dryer that also vented through the roof. Here's a cut/paste of what she and her husband did that she had posted on the other forum. ______Been there, done that...lint is such a HUGE annoyance to my life. We're in a 2nd floor condo where the dryer vent ducting goes to the roof through the attic over 20 feet and several elbows. My husband bought the condo years before we met, and the ducting was clogged after several years. At the time, he decided to disconnect the vent from the duct. The resulting moisture did some damage to the cabinetry (swelling of the particle board, even under layers of oil-based paint). Soon after we married, he decided we needed to fix the problem correctly. He went up into the attic and disassembled the ducting, brought it outside, and blew it out with his air compressor. I pushed some cleaning tool through it as well. We can't be doing this regularly! I mean preferably, never again! So, I had him put a filter -- a gallon paint strainer -- over the dryer vent where it connects to the machine. This clogs every month or so, we pull the machine out, disconnect the vent, clean the strainer, and put it back. This is still an annoying chore, but not the nightmare of dealing with the whole duct run.______ So since my DRYER is very easy for me to get behind, I decided to try this. I bought a gallon mesh paint strainer with an elastic top that fits like a trash bag into a trash can in the small duct that hooks from the back of the dryer to the wall.....I guess it acts like a second filter to keep the lint from going into the run. Will this be safe as long as I diligently check every couple of weeks to a month? I have a leaf blower and a lint brush system........But the problem is my roof pitch is way too steep! I got up there once and never again. I was literally feeling like I was going to slide of and I was clinging to the roof and praying as I slowly made my way to the ladder telling myself if I get out of this alive I will never get up there again -and I haven't! The roof cap gets lint caught in it, so I have to stand on the edge of a ladder and I have this telescoping pole that is very long that I bought for this reason. I tape a lint brush to the end of it and stand on the top of the ladder at the edge of the roof and with the dryer running I run the brush through the roof cap as best as I can AFTER cleaning the entire run (but from the bottom up) since I refuse to go to the roof and this has worked pretty well. I also use an electric leaf blower. I do this like every six months or so.....The dryer dries amazingly fast when it's done, but it only takes about 2 months before I start noticing the slow increase in drying and I'm dreading going through that process again.......it's not a horribly difficult process but it's just that it seems to happen too often! When the dryer roof cap was first put on, it actually had a wire SCREEN on it which was the most ridiculous thing. It clogged quicker than anything . I took the screen off but lint still sticks to the edges after a few months...... Here is a pic (not of my roof) but very similar, only my roof is much steeper and the roof cap is at the very top. Now as to my question: Is this paint strainer SAFE? It's very lightweight? I'm trying it right now now that my vent is completely been cleaned, roof cap and all......I'm hoping that this will keep the run clean and all I have to do is clean this instead. Here's the back of my dryer with the paint strainer on and a picture of what the paint strainer looks like. I'm just paranoid about the hot air and the material in the paint strainer. The lady on the forum said it had kept her vent run clean for 9 years and she had no issues

Post# 644972 , Reply# 1 12/8/2012 at 09:52 (4,180 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)
Checkrate/Likes *Back of my* dryer with the paint strainer on

Post# 644973 , Reply# 2 12/8/2012 at 09:53 (4,180 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)
Checkrate/Likes *What the* paint strainer looks like

Post# 644998 , Reply# 3 12/8/2012 at 11:11 (4,180 days old) by JeffG ()
Checkrate/Likes > Will this be safe as long as I diligently check every couple of weeks to a month? Paint strainers are meant to filter very small particles. You may have to check it after every load. As far as I know they're made of nylon and can melt if overheated. If it was my house I'd reroute the vent to an easily accessible outside wall instead of the roof and not use the filter. Sooner or later you're going to forget, or dry a load of new towels, or do something to clog it and then you've got a possible fire hazard on your hands. The closer to the unit a clog is the hotter it will run.

Post# 645012 , Reply# 4 12/8/2012 at 12:14 (4,180 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California)
Checkrate/Likes I don't understand why your husband couldn't haul a shop vac or similar up to the attic and use some vacuum extensions to clean out the underside of the rooftop vent. I also think that the duct work should be insulated as it runs through the unheated attic. The cold air in the attic is probably causing condensation in the line, resulting in attracting the lint and causing the clogging up there. The run through the walls (presumably they are inner walls) is probably warmer and thus not as much of a condensation issue. Yes, walking on roofs can be very dangerous. The pros use special ropes and harnesses to prevent falls. Or at least that's what I've read. Haven't seen a roofing crew use them yet ;-).

Post# 645047 , Reply# 5 12/8/2012 at 16:05 (4,180 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)
Checkrate/Likes *That was a quote* in the post from another lady that HER husband put the paint strainer on. Not me. I'm just going to try it and see for a week or so and see what kind of vibe I get about it. I'll probably take it off but she said it worked great for them for 9 years, but that it was an inconvenience.....The fire hazard never occurred to me until I started looking at the paint strainer and wondering what kind of harm the heat would to do it or if it would be dangerous.... Insulating the duct run? Hmmm

Post# 645048 , Reply# 6 12/8/2012 at 16:09 (4,180 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)
Checkrate/Likes *forgot to mention* I've thought about going into the attic to clean the duct that way.....but if you could see the way my attic is designed, it's extremely difficult to navigate over to the area. But I guess that's better than climbing on the roof

Post# 645061 , Reply# 7 12/8/2012 at 17:02 (4,179 days old) by whirlaway (Hampton Virginia)
Checkrate/Likes *New Towels!* You are so right about drying new towels.I washed four new ones and then dryed them.I always check the lint basket on that old frogeye after each load,it was slam full.I didnt realize new cotton towels had so much lint.After I used them the second wash was so much better.Like you say it can be such a fire hazard and I never turn the heat past med on that machine.

Post# 645063 , Reply# 8 12/8/2012 at 17:33 (4,179 days old) by ozzie908 (Lincoln UK)
Checkrate/Likes *Remove all obstacles* Get a condenser dryer instead !! Austin

Post# 645074 , Reply# 9 12/8/2012 at 19:06 (4,179 days old) by Volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)
Checkrate/Likes *Venting.* Check with the manufacturer of your dryer to see how long a vent run it can handle. They aren't designed for long vent runs, and each elbow is worth a certain number of feet of straight duct. Rigid ducting is better than flex ducting because the inner surface is smooth instead of rough, which decreases drag. Even under optimal conditions, a run that is too long is still prone to clogging. You may want to consider adding a supplemental dryer exhaust booster blower. Better airflow will help keep your line from clogging. In Cincinnati there is a company called Dryer Vent Wizard. All they do is service, clean, and install dryer venting. I know the owner and the company's employees do a good job. If there is a better way to route a vent, they will let you know. Their services aren't free, but they are a good value for the money. If there is a similar company in your area, or another Dryer Vent Wizard franchise, you might want to give them a call. A poorly constructed or poor condition dryer vent isn't just a fire hazard, it's an expensive inconvenience as the dryer has to run longer to dry your clothes, which wastes both time and utilities. Best of luck, Dave

Post# 645099 , Reply# 11 12/8/2012 at 20:51 (4,179 days old) by JeffG ()
Checkrate/Likes Get a cheap $20 poly chimney sweep brush and put it on the end of a 25 or 50 foot pipe snake. You'll do just as good a job as the pros and save a ton on service calls. CLICK HERE TO GO TO JeffG's LINK

Post# 645161 , Reply# 13 12/9/2012 at 03:35 (4,179 days old) by fido ()
Checkrate/Likes *Shingle Roofs* When I visited New Zealand one of the major differences between there and UK that struck me was the life expectancy of buildings. In UK, the most common house construction is brick with a tiled or slate roof. With normal maintenance like re-pointing of brickwork and storm damage repairs to roofs the original structure will largely still be in service 100 years after construction. Slates do eventually fail due to the wind vibrating them against each other. A lot of the New Zealand houses were of timber construction with shingle roofs and I was told it is quite normal for them to need major renovations every 25 years. I gather that shingles are quite commonly used in USA too and again they will likely need renewing every 25 years. It seems ironic to me that the corrugated iron roofs often seen in third world countries will probably outlast these shingles! Here in Hungary the situation is different again. Here most houses have brick walls and clay or concrete tiles on the roof but they tend to need a lot more repairs than the UK ones, due to poor quality building materials and / or bad workmanship. Hungarians have there own take on building construction, however. Here brick buildings are usually rendered but some people on self build home projects run out of money and have to leave the rendering for a few years until they can afford it. One Hungarian woman I know visited London and was struck by all the unrendered brick buildings everywhere. She thought that Londoners were too poor to get their houses rendered. Horses for courses, I guess!

Post# 645088 , Reply# 10 12/8/2012 at 19:39 (4,179 days old) by whirlcool (Just North Of Houston, Texas)
Checkrate/Likes I have the same kind of exhaust vent, only mine has only 2 elbows in it. It goes up 25 feet and out the center of the roof. With that plastic paint filter I'd worry about he air not escaping the vent fast enough which would build up some back pressure in the dryer resulting in not enough air circulation inside the dryer. In a gas dryer I would worry about this. We have our local chimney sweep come out every 3 years or so. They also clean dryer ducts. $35.00 and about 40 minutes of your time and your dryer duct is squeaky clean and no disassembly required. Using the variety of brushes they have they send a brush up the ductwork and out the other end to clean all of the lint out.

Post# 645146 , Reply# 12 12/9/2012 at 00:28 (4,179 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY)
Checkrate/Likes *So far what I have used is* An electric leaf blower and the lint eater system which is actually really good. But it's supposed to be done from the top down or from outside in.....Since I can't get on the roof I've always done it from bottom up then go outside and clean the roof cap as I described above... The run is relatively straight and I think it's about 18 to 20 feet. It goes from the wall straight up about 12 feet, then a 40 degree turn then about another 5 feet, then another 40 degree elbow turn and out the roof. It's all rigid metal from start to finish. So would insulation the duct run in the attic actually keep lint from sticking into the run including the roof cap?

Post# 645163 , Reply# 14 12/9/2012 at 04:17 (4,179 days old) by alr2903 (TN)
Checkrate/Likes The main problem for us in our last house, was the lint accumulated in the 90 degree elbow coming out of the wall. Never at any time did i move the dryer out and the metal flex vent to the rigid 90, always had quite a collection of lint. We have a short straight run now. every now and then i get a pile of lint on the patio. The rigid vent tubing always looks acceptably clean, but every now and then the vent does expel a lot of lint. alr