Do you have enough room to install a recessed box behind the dryer (www.dryerbox.com)? That should allow you to push the dryer against the wall or very close to the wall. Inside the wall if you can't fit 4" rigid duct in that wall, they make ovalized duct that will fit within 2x4 intra-stud spaces. You can also find the transition parts to go from ovalized duct to standard 4" round duct when you reach a space that can take the full size duct.

With regard to side venting...

How much space do you have between the wall and the side of the dryer? If you have several inches you could use a periscope to get to a spot where you don't interfere with a stud. I'm not a big fan of periscopes, but for a short little jog where you then directly vent to the outside it should be just fine. Whatever you do have it constructed so you can clean out any lint build-up one or two times a year. Since a duct brush won't snake down a periscope that mean being able to disconnect it from the dryer and the wall so it can be taken apart for cleaning.

I like with the periscope suggestion. That means 3 elbows (one inside the machine, essentially two in the periscope), but then you have a clear short shot right to the outside, instead of the longer run through your current problematic vent. - DR

I looked at the dryer box, and they won't work. And that back wall has studs so I can't really make it work there either.

I've looked at the problem from so many different ways and I think that if I use the existing duct, I will have three elbows no matter what I do, AND I will be too far from the back wall.

As much as I would like to use the periscope, the store said that there's no way to seal the joints so I will get a lot of lint in our laundry room. Plus that still means three elbows in three feet of space.

I think the best solution is to put in a new vent on the outside wall and to use that offset elbow. It will make a 90 degree turn in 4 and a half inches, so I will get a little closer to the back wall. Plus I will have only one elbow. Also, the joints will be clamped so I won't have lint in the room.

Thanks for your suggestions.

There are lots of Metal tapes out there that do a great job of sealing joints, matter of fact, some are next to impossible to undo once you put them on.

I still would go with the side vent, and circument that support with the periscope or sometrhing else. It seems so simple to me. Maybe I'm missing something. I don't get the "leaking lint into the room" thing.

sr712,

I think his point was that the space is so tight that once the periscoped ends meet up, there won't be any room to get back there and tape the joints. The result is that lint will be blown out of the three "open" joints. Hopefully they'll have enough room to clamp the ends of the rigid venting!

The bottom line is that you're right. The new vent will circumvent the elbowed vent that's in my wall. And I'll have only one elbow instead of three. And, the clincher, is that I'll get my dryer closer to the back wall. A winner solution all the way around as far as I can tell.

I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing something which is why I posted my question here. The people on this board are terrific.

We just tried a periscope vent with our only slightly offset configuration and it was a mess. It blew air and lint into the room like it wasn't there and was *loud* and rattly. I guess we could have tried to tape it up, but I didn't think it was worth those couple of inches. Too bad we had to cut it to fit so it was money wasted:(

meg711,

A couple of thoughts...

I can't remember if you already own the Bosch set or not. Certainly the Bosch seems to have many fans here on this site, but for your situation maybe a stackable W/D would fit your available space better and allow easy venting along your outside wall. Just a thought.

With regard to the thin profile transition piece you originally asked about. Can't say that piece looks all that wonderful. It appears to accomplish it's purpose by transitioning down to 1/2 it's original cross section before balloning back out to 4". That is bound to create a greater air flow restriction than any other 90 degree elbow I've ever seen. For as bad as a periscope is, it still uses the engineering of air flow and in fact the rectangular cross section of the periscope can allow air to flow as well as a 4" round duct (it's problem is with the abrupt 90 degree inlet and outlet). With all that said, there is nothing like giving it a test to see how it works. If you know someone with a easy to access dryer, buy one and hook it up. See what happens to typical drying times and noise.

No, I don't own the Bosch set yet but I can't stack because there's a window in the way and also an upper cabinet. I was thinking that, if I had to, I would have to get the builder to remove the upper cabinet so that I can stack the units closer to the sink that's there. I think the thinner profile is probably the better choice for now.

I understand what you're saying about the reduced air flow, but it has to be better than three elbows.

Thanks, everyone, for your comments and advice.

Hey, Meg. I would like to contribute if I can, but don't know your situation. Can you point me to your previous post? (I think I can help.)