A dryer is simple to hook up but easy to install badly. The vent is where most installations go wrong, and a poor vent means long drying times, a hot laundry room and a real fire risk. Here’s how to install a new electric or gas dryer, what to check before it arrives, and when to leave it to a professional.
Before You Start: Electric or Gas?
Electric dryer
- Needs a 240-volt dryer outlet on a double breaker. A standard wall outlet won’t run it.
- New electric dryers usually ship without a power cord. Look at your outlet: newer homes have a 4-prong outlet, older homes often a 3-prong outlet. Buy the cord that matches.
- With a 4-prong cord, the ground strap between the neutral and the cabinet has to be removed, as described in the installation guide. With a 3-prong cord, it stays. Getting this wrong is a shock hazard.
Gas dryer
- Needs a gas shut-off valve near the dryer and a regular 120-volt outlet for the drum and controls.
- Use a new flexible gas connector, never the old one, and use gas-rated sealant on pipe threads only. Never put sealant on the connector’s flare fittings.
- If your home doesn’t have a gas line in the laundry area, adding one is a job for a licensed professional.
Get the Vent Right
The dryer pushes hot, damp, lint-filled air outside. To do that well, the vent needs:
- Rigid or semi-rigid metal duct, usually 4 inches in diameter. Don’t use white vinyl or thin foil accordion duct. It crushes, traps lint and isn’t safe.
- A short, straight run. Every elbow reduces airflow. The manual lists the maximum length for your dryer, and each bend counts against it.
- Foil tape or clamps at the joints, not screws, which catch lint inside the duct.
- A clean exterior hood with a flap that opens freely when the dryer runs.
Replacing an old dryer? Clean or replace the existing vent at the same time. A new dryer on a clogged vent will dry no better than the old one, and lint build-up in the duct is a leading cause of dryer fires. Read more in our guide to why dryers stop heating.
Installation Step by Step
- Turn off the power at the breaker, and for a gas dryer close the gas valve.
- Install the cord (electric) or connect the gas line (gas). For gas, turn the gas back on and check the joints with soapy water. Bubbles mean a leak.
- Connect the vent to the dryer’s exhaust and the wall outlet with the shortest workable duct. Don’t let it crush when you push the dryer back.
- Slide the dryer into place and leave a little space behind it for the duct.
- Level the dryer side to side and front to back with the adjustable feet. An unlevel dryer vibrates, walks and wears the drum bearings faster.
- Restore power and gas. Turn the breaker back on, and for a gas dryer open the gas valve.
- Test run. Run a timed dry cycle on high heat for a few minutes. Go outside and check that warm air is coming out of the vent hood with a good flow.
Mistakes That Cause Problems Later
- Reusing an old vinyl or foil duct, or a duct that’s already full of lint.
- Kinking the duct behind the dryer, which cuts airflow almost completely.
- The wrong cord, or the ground strap set wrong for the outlet type.
- Stacking a dryer on a washer without the manufacturer’s stacking kit.
- Venting into an attic, crawl space or garage instead of outside.
When to Have It Installed Professionally
Call a technician for gas dryers if you’re not comfortable with gas connections, for stacked or closet installs, for long or complicated vent runs, and when a dryer that used to work suddenly takes two cycles to dry. That last one is almost always a venting or heating problem rather than a “bad dryer”. Installing a washer at the same time? See our washer installation guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a new dryer come with a power cord?
Most electric dryers don’t. You buy a 3-prong or 4-prong cord to match your outlet.
What kind of vent should a dryer have?
Rigid or semi-rigid metal duct, usually 4 inches, kept as short and straight as possible, venting outside.
How long should a dryer load take?
A normal load on a properly vented dryer typically takes under an hour. If it takes much longer, check the lint screen, the duct and the exterior vent hood first.
Can I install a gas dryer myself?
Connecting a dryer to an existing gas valve is common. If you’re not confident with gas fittings and leak testing, or if a gas line has to be added, use a professional.
Do you install dryers in my area?
We install and repair dryers in Sacramento, West Sacramento, Davis, Woodland, Dixon, Vacaville, Elk Grove and Rancho Cordova.
Book Dryer Installation or Repair
Top Town Appliance Repair Service installs and repairs gas and electric dryers of all major brands, including Whirlpool, Maytag, Samsung, LG, GE, Kenmore, Electrolux and Bosch. See our appliance services, call (510) 677-7166 or book an appointment online. Monday to Saturday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
