Check Air Filters and Keep Ducts Clean If you don't keep up with this basic maintenance, you won't feel much air coming from your ducts. Most importantly, after you have your ducts cleaned, keep them that way. Perform regular cleanings to make sure dust doesn't build up and block your airflow in the future.
Side vent will probably be the best solution but you could also try a dryer vent periscope fitting in place of the flex. An in-line booster fan on the straight duct is also a possibility.
If you're not getting any air flow out the back of the dryer, then the belt has either broken and needs to be replaced or the pulley on the top of the blower wheel has unscrewed and needs to be reinstalled. Below is a link to a video on how to take the dryer apart to replace the belt.
Measure the distance from the dryer exhaust to the wall, then add 2ft. Stretch the duct out to that length, then cut it. Attach to wall, then to dryer, then move dryer to wall while squishing the duct back down. If 2ft extra duct is too much, you can always keep trimming until it fits.
Check Air Filters and Keep Ducts Clean
If you don't keep up with this basic maintenance, you won't feel much air coming from your ducts. Most importantly, after you have your ducts cleaned, keep them that way. Perform regular cleanings to make sure dust doesn't build up and block your airflow in the future.
Dryer venting tips and practices
Flexible transition hose between the dryer and the wall outlet should be either the foil type or the aluminum flexible duct (most preferred). Do not use the plastic or vinyl. Concealed ducting must be rigid metal (galvanized or aluminum) duct.
Duct booster fans can help even out room temperatures by improving airflow. Pros include better overall comfort throughout your home and improved energy efficiency.
The minimum duct air velocity during normal operating conditions should be at least 1,200 FPM (feet per minute) to keep lint moving through the vent. (In a 4" (102 mm) diameter pipe, this requires at least 105 CFM of air flow.)
A clogged dryer vent can be caused by a buildup of lint in the ventilation system, or by items from your pockets like gum wrappers or coins.
One of the most common reasons your tumble dryer decides to blow out cold air instead of hot is, rather ironically, because it has overheated. Manufacturers have a legal requirement to ensure that when your dryer gets too hot there is some form of control in place to prevent it catching fire.
Wash the condenser with cold running water to remove all of the fluff that may be built up inside the condenser. Make sure all of the fluff has been flushed out to keep your dryer working efficiently and dry the clothes quickly.
There are several reasons why your dryer may not be drying, including a clogged lint screen, issues with the vent hose or a clogged vent system. Properly installing and maintaining your dryer can help avoid some issues that can interfere with performance.
Add both a secondary lint trap and a dryer duct booster fan. Fantech and Tjernlund are a couple brands to help you start your search. Also, replacing any easily accessible flexible duct with rigid ducts can help prevent lint from building up.
The fans are typically mounted in-line in the existing duct, preferably 15 feet or more from the dryer (more on that later). Each fan has a built-in controller which senses that the dryer is on and allows the dryer-booster fan to run.
The cost of installing or replacing a dryer vent is $200 on average, or between $140 and $600, depending on labor and material costs.
Indoor dryer vents do offer a few benefits, which can make them attractive to homeowners, like easy installation. Since indoor dryer vents keep the heat and moisture trapped inside the home, owners can also save on heating costs during colder months. If you can avoid indoor venting, however, you should.
Some dryer vent installations also have an external lint trap, which is also known as a secondary dryer lint trap or a 4″ In-Line Dryer Lint Trap.