Running dryer vent exhaust out of side of dryer. Using solid 4" aluminum duct pipe. To seal connections is it better to use regular HVAC aluminum duct tape or mesh with mastic. Have used both in HVAC systems but not in running dryer vents. Any shortcomings or foreseeable problems with either. Thanks
What’s better aluminum tape or mesh tape w/mastic for sealing dryer vent
dryer
Related Solutions
If it is simple Type A vent pipe you can just cut the pipe and then use a 4" coupling that has male ends on both sides. You should use some mastic around the male ends of the union or just simply wrap some aluminum tape around to seal the joint.
Do wear gloves when you're cutting the pipe with tin snips to prevent cuts.
First, what you do not want to use is duct tape, the adhesive fails under the extreme temperatures.
For dryer vents and HVAC ducts, you should seal seams with a foil backed tape. This is designed to be airtight and handle the temperature swings that would cause other types of tape to fail.
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Best Answer
Using mesh and mastic is very important if you want to seal all of your HVAC runs in a house. Tape simply doesn't adhere good enough over time to limit the tiny holes they are trying to cover. It is a big deal to seal a house up right because a properly sealed unit can be 10-20% more efficient - and that is a lot of money for the 2-4 hours it takes to seal it right.
However... your dryer is not part of your HVAC system. It is just a vent going to the outside of your house. The tape is just used to make sure there is a smooth transition so that nothing get caught in your connections (you should not screw in your dryer venting runs to each other). Therefore aluminum tape is the way to go because when you want to clean out your vents you can untape them and retape - hard to do this with mesh/mastic.