Venting a tumble dryer - but not into the wall?!

[SomethingSuitablyWitty]

DP and I recently bought our first house - it's a 105 year old town house and not in the UK. The previous owner was a keen DIYer and the kind of guy who would happily tinker with plumbing/wiring etc. We are not like that! We are reasonably handy, but not particularly experienced. Anyway, the previous owner didn't do any damage - a surveyors report flagged up a few things that need to be slightly updated in terms of electricity etc. but no problems.

So: previous owner emphatically told us that there were connections set up in the basement for both the washing machine and dryer (where they had had theirs) and that we should get an evacuation dryer not a condenser. We've never had one before, but we have duly purchased one in the meantime.

When it came to setting it up, we realised (should have before really, but we are new to this!) that instead of a dedicated dryer vent to the outside, there is a second opening in the drainpipe that the washing machine drains into. This is a metal pipe, attached to the wall (some 2/3 metres in length) that runs to the outside gutter. I presume it only has water running through it when the washing machine is in use. Anyway, we attached to the washing machine hose to it no problem (it just fit right in) but I don't see any way of attaching the dryer hose (which is wide) to the narrow pipe opening that is apparently left for it. I assume the previous owner cobbled something together with some kind of adaptor and duct tape. We could do so too I suppose, but I'm not sure how, or whether it is safe or a good idea.

I rang Whirlpool by the way and they seemed a bit taken aback by the question but said it was fine as long as the external drainpipe was less than 4 metres long. I don't think the phone person was really very experienced or expert, though she did check with a colleague.

Sorry for the long-winded post. Basically, I'd like to connect the machine to the pipe if possible and safe rather than trying to find a way to put a hole in the (presumably thick) basement wall. On the other hand, I obviously don't want to take a risk and my main aim is to install the damn thing correctly and asap. Any ideas anyone?!

I know a bit about these things but no expert. Ive never heard of steam from a tumble dryer being released via drainpipes. I suppose it would work in theory, but seems a very complicated way of doing things when you could just get a condenser. I've never seen any kind of adaptor for this purpose either but who knows, something might exist.

You would usually knock a hole in an outside wall ( with a vented cover over it to look neat from the outside) and fit the big pipe to this or people put the pipe out of a window to release the steam. Cant work out why the prev owner told you not to get a condenser dryer as you would not have to connect a condenser to anything (apart drom electric) you only have to empty the reservoir down the sink ( or on your plants!)

Sorry, i meant this to be helpful but it hasn't been really, has it? Is there any way you can contact previous person to find out how he did it?

Good luck!

you mean your tumble drier is in the basement? You can't make a hole in the wall to get to the outside?

Or is any part of the basement wall above ground level (in which case it is easy, you hire a core drill)

Thanks for the responses! I think I had nodded off with boredom by the time I had finished describing the problem, so it was indulgent of you to read it!

applepants : I think he strongly advised the evacuation dryer because that's what he had and clearly felt he had a way to make it work and because they are a bit cheaper and supposedly a bit cheaper to run? Dunno. Anyway, he did and thats what we have . I kind of think it should work in theory but wonder why in practice no-one ever does this.

As for the possibility of making a wall vent pigletjohn: I need to investigate further. Possibly there is some of the basement above ground level where this might be doable. I'd love to avoid it though, as it promises to be a PITA. The house is a terrace and fronts on the street -and it would be street side (that's where the water is), which will be a problem in itself actually now that I think of it. I can't be blowing air onto the passers-by I'd say. Gah! It would probably make more sense to exchange the new and unused dryer for a condensation one in that case.

If you can exchange the dryer, that woulld be the best/easiest option.

My mum runs an evacuation dryer in her garage - she just leaves the vent pipe blowing out on the floor!

But a garage is above ground, and there's an air gap around the door. Probably not good in a cellar!

If you can't change the dryer, I would try and do what the previous owner did and cobble something together with plastic pipe and duct tape - it's only water vapour, not a deluge so you can experiment fairly risk free.

if the pipe you are talking about is a wastepipe, about 40mm in diameter, then no, you can't exhaust a tumble drier into it. You need a 105mm pipe and you must not vent into a drain. You could expect undesirable drain smells in your drier.

I don't understand where the gutter is that you mention. It must be lower than the washer hose or water would not run away. If you truly mean a rainwater gutter, it is for rain, not appliance wastes.

I think you ought to contact your vendor and ask how he used to do it. Maybe he had a way.

I may be completely wrong but do you think the previous owner had a condenser drier and instead of emptying the water bottle each time he attached a drain to it? It is known as a drain kit and diverts the water from the bottle to a hose.

That way you have a hose coming out of the back of the condenser drier and mine slots into the same plastic waste pipe as the washing machine.

You can get plastic contraptions that you can put your hose into like this but I have no experience of whether these are any good.

It may tide you over till we have nicer weather.