Use this method when you want your dryer vent’s cover to look clean and professional. Only install a dryer vent hole cover after you have installed the hose. There are also cage-style dryer vent covers that are called bird boxes, which are specifically designed to keep birds and other critters out of a vent. However, a disadvantage of these is they tend to collect lint quickly and get clogged up more easily than louvre-style covers.
Dryer vent covers and hoses have a 4 in (10 cm) standard opening, so you shouldn’t have any problem fitting your cover onto the pipe at the end of the hose.
Your dryer vent cover may or may not come with mounting screws of the correct length. If not, you can use something like 2–3 in (5. 1–7. 6 cm) long screws. As long as the screws are long enough to pass through the cover and about 1 in (2. 5 cm) into your wall, it will be very secure.
The caulk will create a waterproof seal around the cover to keep out rainwater and other moisture that could get trapped inside and cause problems down the line.
Aim to clean the dryer vent once in the spring and once in the fall. If you have a full house, such as if you live with a family with several kids, you might have to clean the vent hole cover every 3-6 months, since you probably dry clothes very often. Commercial dryer vent covers are designed for the best airflow and minimum maintenance, but they can still accumulate lint over time. That’s why it’s important to clean them at least once a year to keep your dryer working efficiently and prevent fire hazards and energy waste.
Use this method if you have some hardware cloth handy and don’t mind not having a sleek commercial dryer vent cover on the outside of your home. You can also use this method to block up existing dryer vent covers that are missing flaps or louvres to prevent animals from getting in through the gaps. [6] X Trustworthy Source US National Park Service Agency responsible for the maintenance and promotion of national parks and monuments Go to source
For example, a 6 in (15 cm) by 6 in (15 cm) piece will cover a standard 4 in (10 cm) dryer vent opening. If you’re installing the mesh over a flap-style louvre vent cover that has a missing flap, make sure you just cover up the gap and not the entire vent cover. Otherwise, the remaining flaps won’t be able to open when you’re using your dryer.
You can use 1–1. 5 in (2. 5–3. 8 cm) screws or nails for this. If your wall is made out of brick, concrete, or stone, use masonry screws instead.
If the mesh ever gets super dirty and you can’t successfully clean it while it’s attached to your wall, you can remove the screws or nails and wash it or replace it with a new piece of hardware cloth.
You can use this method if your laundry room has moved and you no longer want a dryer vent in the old location or if you’ve switched to a ventless dryer. Covering up unused vents will block out drafts and moisture, which can reduce energy use and prevent moisture-related problems. It will also keep critters out of your home if there is no longer a dryer vent hole cover on the outside. If the interior wall isn’t insulated, like if it’s a brick wall or made of unfinished and uninsulated drywall, you don’t need to fill the hole in with any insulation. Always wear work gloves, a dust mask, and protective eyewear when you’re patching an old dryer hole.
Fiberglass wall patches work well for holes up to about 1 in (2. 5 cm), so that would be the easiest way to cover up a small dryer vent hole. However, if your hole is bigger or you just want a new piece of drywall there, you can use drywall instead. You can either paint over the inside patch or leave it as is if it’s just in an unfinished garage, basement, or somewhere else where you aren’t too worried about the appearance. If the interior wall doesn’t have drywall, such as if it’s a brick wall, you don’t need to install any drywall.
The builder’s paper will create a moisture barrier and the mesh will give the stucco patch something to cling to
Quick-dry stucco repair typically dries within 45 minutes to 2 hours, so it’s a much more efficient way to patch a stucco wall than applying traditional stucco. Try to only mix as much quick-setting repair stucco as you need for each coat. You only get about 20 minutes of working time during which you can use the stucco, so if you mix too much, the leftovers will go to waste.
If your exterior brick wall is the natural color of the bricks, try to use new bricks that most closely match the color of the existing bricks. That way, they’ll blend in after some time once they get weathered.
This applies to various types of common siding materials, such as wood slat siding and vinyl siding.
