How to Put a Dryer Vent in a Wall

Drill a hole into the drywall directly across from your dryer vent and cut a small 3 inch by 3 inch section out of the drywall. Use a flashlight to look inside of the wall where the vent will be located to make sure that there are no electrical wires, pipes, or studs in the path of the location for the duct work.

Use your hammer drill and 1/4-inch drill bit to drill a pilot hole the rest of the way through the exterior wall. This will help you to determine if the vent will be in the appropriate location. Utility service, phone, or cable boxes should not block your vent. Your vent should also not be blocked by air conditioning units or placed over decks. Use a tape measure to make sure that your vent is also a minimum of 12 inches above the ground. You can patch the hole if this location will not work.

Use the pilot hole as a guide when cutting out the vent hole. Center your hole saw over the pilot hole. Insert the hole saw into your hammer drill and begin cutting the opening for the vent hood. You will periodically need to clean out the hole saw.

Insert the vent hood into the opening and slide it all the way in to where the vent hood is touching the house. Use your drill and Philips head drill bit to install the screws in each corner. Vent hoods come with 12 inches of vent piping already attached. Caulk around the perimeter of the vent hood. On the interior wall slide the vent shroud over the end of the pipe and screw it to the wall.

Measure from the dryer vent pipe in the wall to the vent opening on your dryer. Use your tin snips to cut the smooth end of a section of pipe to the appropriate length. Galvanized steel vent pipe is open on one side and has a crimped end. When you slide the crimped end over the dryer vent pipe in the wall you will snap the two sides of the pipe together. Use your foil tape to seal the two pipes together. The opposite end of the pipe attaches to the dryer vent pipe on your dryer. Use a dryer vent clamp to keep it secure.