I finally switched from plastic to metal dryer vent hose

I was using the cheap white plastic vent hose for years because it was easier to bend around corners. Last month I had a call where a customer's plastic hose had melted and nearly started a fire in their basement. That pushed me to swap all my personal hoses to the semi-rigid metal stuff. Took me about an hour to replace the run from my dryer to the wall vent, and it feels way more solid. Anyone else made the switch and noticed better airflow?

2 comments

2 Comments

angela_carter12d ago

Found out the hard way that plastic vents can collect enough lint to choke a vacuum cleaner.

samthompson12d agoMost Upvoted

Wow, that is a good point and honestly not something I ever thought about. Most people get stuck on the metal vs plastic debate for dryers but the real trap is how those plastic vents get warped over time from the heat. Once they start bowing or sagging even a little, lint just piles up in those low spots like crazy. Do you think the manufacturer should have to put a warning about that on the box or is it just something everyone learns the hard way?