Dryer Vent

Rodney27505

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2021
Messages
120
Location
Livingston
So, found this when I was fixing the dryer vent hose today. The dealer we bought the RV from installed a washer/dryer combo as part of the deal. It's been a little over two years now and I am at a loss as to what to do. Go to Jayco and find out what it will cost to fix this? Go directly to the dealer(CW)? Ignore it because it's been fine for 2 years? Anybody else had this situation?
 

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Ouch! It looks like that they cut into the frame rail, wow, you would think that they knew better but I would call the people who installed it. That looks bad and if it have been 2 years the ones who did it probably don't work their no more.

Yeah, you should show the dealer what was done and maybe they might fix it or take care of it anyway, but looking at that it would be a major fix. I don't know, I'm no engineer but to me that would weaken the integrity of the structure of the side wall, and it might not but I would let them know for sure.
 
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It's not unusual to have the dyer vent cut through a piece of wall framing. Several members who did a DIY dryer install have commented that it happened to them and Jayco told them it was not an issue.
 
How deep is your flange inside the vent cover? perhaps you could add a piece of vent pipe to go right inside
 
Thanks for the replies. Dealer was Camping World so I am not holding out much hope there...

I thought I had seen something about this was not that big a deal and I guess that kind of makes sense, the outer skin is actually carrying the load so the framing members are really just something to screw it to more than an actual load bearing structure.
We have been all over the country the last few years and I don't see any indication of cracking or anything of that sort so hoping this is a non-issue.
 
If there is no delaminaton of the wall panel I wouldn't worry about it. That's were you get a lot of the rigidity of the wall structure.
 
I installed our dryer vent, driled exactly where the sticker was and went directly through the center of a aluminum stud. Contacted Jayco, they said not a problem. Personally I'd rather have a hole in the foam vs a cut stud.
 
Personally I'd rather have a hole in the foam vs a cut stud.

Exactly what I thought. The dealer replied and said it was not an issue and the wall was still structurally sound too but this is the sort of thing that will drive me slightly crazy just waiting on it to fail. Might be time to start looking at our next RV...Now to convince the DW we REALLY would be happier in that toy hauler I have been looking at...
 
I would suggest you run a metal pipe through the wall area as even the tiniest spark hitting dryer lint will cause a fire. The typical plastic slinky will burn through and add to the fire that will now be inside your wall. If you can use metal all the way or at least the foil style vent pipe instead of plastic.
 
Exactly what I thought. The dealer replied and said it was not an issue and the wall was still structurally sound too but this is the sort of thing that will drive me slightly crazy just waiting on it to fail. Might be time to start looking at our next RV...Now to convince the DW we REALLY would be happier in that toy hauler I have been looking at...

If you are concerned, you could have a machine shop make you a piece like this out of aluminum and stainless. Unless the tubing is steel, don't use steel parts to make this support. Ideally this brace should be a complete circle, but that may be too difficult to install.


The blocks on the top and bottom would be made to slip inside the cut tubing. They would attach to the curved piece (stainless for strength) with countersunk screws. It would be a bit tricky to hold the bottom lug in place during the assembly process. Once assembled it would give at least a modicum of support and alignment to the upper portion of the frame. You would need to determine dimensions from you actual trailer.


Be sure to put some thread locker on the screws when you put them in so they don't vibrate loose on the road.
 

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I would suggest you run a metal pipe through the wall area as even the tiniest spark hitting dryer lint will cause a fire. The typical plastic slinky will burn through and add to the fire that will now be inside your wall. If you can use metal all the way or at least the foil style vent pipe instead of plastic.

I replaced what the dealer installed with a different vent, hard duct through the wall and semi-rigid duct for the rest, not a fan of the plastic duct either.
 

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