I Need to Vent

[Jeff H Young]

getting 8 more inches height should be a big improvement!

 

[Thomas K]

Someone tried to suspend a ceiling and got it too low. I had to remove the makeshift framing. But even with pipes crossing under joists, I can get that much ceiling room.

Remeasured today. 7' 8" is a mistake. But I can make it 7' 3".

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Thomas K]

I repiped it today. Nothing permanent, but went with two variations. Variation 1 is photos 1890 through 1894. I had to keep end of the longer pipe going toward shower (img 1891) right on the joist because it kept wanting to go level. I will have to tip the pipes and hold them in place as I am gluing them to keep desired slope. But with end of pipe against bottom of joist, I had a 1 1/2" drop on the other end, so that would be good for six feet.

I can't go any further with longer pipe in photos, though. It will hit a joist with any more slope up. I am two joists away from sink drain, so I will probably have to drill through those two joists for good drain pipe slope. Looks like from there it will just be a matter of dropping the shower and sink drain piping down to join the drain pipe.

I can probably get even more slope out of that shower pipe if I just join it to a wye. Shower trap was in first joist bay just beyond that sliding door in photos, so pipe could tip up a little more if pipe ends there.

Please don't pay any attention to that crappy wiring in photos. I just haven't gotten to it yet, and it's disconnected.

 

[Thomas K]

I did notice that when I put the level on bottom of that vent sanitary tee that it's level. Hope that isn't a problem, or I will have to redo it.

 

[wwhitney]

The bottom of the 4" sanitary tee in the tight joist bay? That needs to have 2% slope, as it's a drain. As does the short section from the LT90 to that vent take-off. [Notching a joist 1/4" to help make that happen would be fine.]

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Thomas K]

The bottom of the 4" sanitary tee in the tight joist bay? That needs to have 2% slope, as it's a drain. As does the short section from the LT90 to that vent take-off. [Notching a joist 1/4" to help make that happen would be fine.]

Cheers, Wayne

This was the first piece I installed, Wayne. I think I have enough joist clearance. I just didn't raise it high enough, so I might have to drop it out of hub connector above and trim (carefully) a little bit off of it. If the LT90 is canted too much toward vent pipe after that I can cut flange pipe coming out of lt90, add a coupler, and add another piece of pipe, angling it correctly while gluing it in.

Heh, I know it has nothing to do with this thread, but I wish you knew a little about stackable dryer venting.

 

[wwhitney]

On the dryer venting question, does your desired location allow access to one of the back corners when the stack is in its final location?

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Thomas K]

On the dryer venting question, does your desired location allow access to one of the back corners when the stack is in its final location?

Cheers, Wayne

I don't think so, Wayne. If I remember correctly the last time I measured, I will have two inches clearance on each side, so looks like I will have to use a DryerJack (brand name) through the roof, which is about 5' from dryer vent on back of machine. but I can remeasure. I think bathroom is 8' lengthwise. That would be, inline, tub (5'), 2 x 4 wall (with 1" drywall) , and washer/dryer space. Washer and dryer are 24" wide. Otherwise, I could run a vent right through the exterior wall in bottom corner, and run vent down at 45 degree angle to it. I can't post photos of area right now because I'm at work.

 

[Thomas K]

Here are photos I found; these are old and those boards are all gone and new plywood installed. Vent in img. 1672 has been replaced with pvc through the roof, and modified. That corner is area where I want to put washer/dryer. X on photo of exterior is that corner on outside of house. Bottom of stacked dryer will be almost even with the layer of bricks under that window. I thought about putting vent in the gable under that eave just to right of X, but thought better of it. If vent came out the exterior wall at floor level, it would be about 3' to left of door and 40" beneath that other eave. I've included photos of both DryerJacks I've purchased.

I won't create another thread here and get everything off track; just thought I'd ask for a few quick ideas and then leave the subject alone. I didn't get a chance to remeasure spacing today. From the older schematics I made of bathroom, I will have approximately 31" of space in that laundry area with 1/2" green (or that new purple stuff?) drywall installed. I've already purchased Pex-ready washer box with single lever shutoff, which will be near front of laundry closet for easy access.

I hope I beefed up the floors enough. Kohler tub weighs around 300 lbs, and washer and dryer will be around 300 (?)lbs. All 2 x 10 joists there are sistered with 2 x 10s, and some are tripled.

I actually put a video of someone putting a dryer on a shelf and installing vent pipe before washer installation under Terry Love Home Renovation forum, but I think it's just a lark.

 

[Thomas K]

I went back and remeasured spacing for bathtub and washer/dryer today. Exactly 96" from stud wall to stud wall. 60" for tub, 3 1/2" for wall between tub and laundry closet, plus 1" of drywall (1/2" on each side of laundry closet) leaves 31 1/2" for closet. Washer and dryer are both 27" wide, so that leaves 4 1/2" of open space, or 3" clearance on faucet side, 1 1/2" clearance on other. Just enough room to slip a hand in and pull shutoff lever in case of a leak. So I will have no choice but to vent through roof. Or vent into gable under that uppermost eave with vent (DryerJack2 image) that exhausts straight out into open air.

No easy choices here.

 

[wwhitney]

Depending on the dryer you get, it could be converted to right side outlet, and you could vent out the brick front of the house. Probably not desirable.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Thomas K]

Depending on the dryer you get, it could be converted to right side outlet, and you could vent out the brick front of the house. Probably not desirable.

Cheers, Wayne

I thought about that, Wayne, we bought a matching LG set, and you have to dismantle the entire dryer to reroute the vent. And that is actually rear of the house. I tried to see where a side vent like that would exit straight out, and that lower eave above that exterior door is right in the way. The only way I can think of is a 40" vertical vent made of rigid aluminum, coming off 45 degree aluminum elbow on dryer vent, installed ahead of time. Once dryer is in place, there will be enough room (hopefully) for me to lean over dryer, push vent into another aluminum pipe coming from DryerJack on roof, and join the vents with hvac foil tape (no screws to catch lint. DryerJack is a fairly new free flow vent design, and code compliant.

Appliance stores love to sell you a stackable dryer, but have no inkling of how to vent the thing.

 

[wwhitney]

The magnetic locking dryer hook ups look plausible to me, particularly if you can peer down behind to be sure they've latched properly. DryerBox is also useful to recess the dryer vent into the wall, although probably not on an exterior wall, because of insulation and maintaining the integrity of the top plate. Your stack is going to stick out further than the tub, though, since you'll need I expect about 5" behind the stack.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Thomas K]

2 x 4 wall between tub and washer/dryer will be wider than tub, as it will be tiled on tub side. Originally, the tub was where I'm putting washer. There was a closet at front of tub, and it was 32 1/2" deep, so new wall will be at least that wide. Other laundry closet walls are exterior. I actually did buy a DryerBox, but sent it back because you have to crush a 4" pipe to make it fit in 2 x 4 wall.

I know I said something about putting dryer on separate shelf, but in the real world, I'm going to buy an LG stacking kit and install it. I did think about putting 2 layers of cement board in laundry closet, though, and drilling holes in first layer to hold washer feet (and probably vibration pads attached to feet) to keep it from walking. And then tile around the holes.

Vent problem has been a thorn in my side for awhile. My wife is older than me, and I'm trying to make it easier on her.

 

[Thomas K]

I have seen quite a few stackable dryers sitting on a shelf above washer on Pinterest, but I don't think it would be aesthetically pleasing. (?)

 

[Thomas K]

Wayne: My wife just came in, looked at the photos with me, and pointed something out I didn't even consider.

Look at Image 1666 in post #309. See wall behind that vent pipe? It's drywall for pantry in kitchen. I can cut a hole in corner through brick to outside (your idea) between those two closest studs, and install that DryerJack wall vent there. Then I can fabricate an access panel in that drywall (or redo some of it,) put the washer and dryer in, and run rigid aluminum ducting vent with access from behind.

I think this will work.

That's why I love my wife.

 

[Thomas K]

On the dryer venting question, does your desired location allow access to one of the back corners when the stack is in its final location?

Cheers, Wayne

The only downside I can see with access panel is that I will have to leave a section of stud bay behind the washer/dryer about one foot square uncovered in that bathroom corner. On the pantry side, I'll probably just make an access door out of sanded plywood, carefully cut a hole in pantry drywall to match, paint edges of drywall and door, and use 4 screws to secure door. Pantry drywall is unpainted as of right now.

It's either that or go out the roof with the other vent I bought.

 

[Thomas K]

Doesn't this sound like the best approach?

I could cover hole in pantry with access panel like one shown.

 

[Thomas K]

The 1/2" pipe projecting off to the right just above the main shutoff valve is a problem. It goes down up under the concrete floor, and back up through the concrete block wall to those old washer fittings that were covered up by drywall. I want to cut off water to those old washer lines. Problem is access. It sits right against the block wall, and I don't trust Sharkbite fittings for permanent installation.

Any ideas on how to go about this?

 

[wwhitney]

Looks like a 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/2" tee? So the 1/2" pipe shouldn't be literally against the block. I would think you could cut the horizontal 1/2" line with a hacksaw, maybe stick a wedge behind the 3/4" to be sure of the maximum clearance from the block, minimally ream/file the end, slip some emery cloth behind the pipe so you can sand the full perimeter, and then proceed as usual with soldering on a cap.

Another option would be cut the vertical 1/2" line down low. That way the length of the vertical riser would give you some flexibility to get more clearance from the block. But I'm not sure the additional clearance would be required.

Cheers, Wayne