Drilling hole in outside wall for vented dryer

HardyEustace

Hi guys,
I've to get a hole drilled in my outside wall for a vented dryer.

Now I'm a bit clueless as to how to go out about this but the husband of a friend of mine has very kindly offered to help.

I believe that you can hire out drills that would be powerful enough for this job and suitable drill bits.

I'm just not sure
1. what to ask for
2. how much the hire should be

Is there anywhere in Galway city that people would recommend that I go to?

Thanks in advance.

DEVEREUX

Any hire center will rent you a 4" core drill bit and drill to match...not sure of the price though.
you might also need a transformer 110v and a drill bit for pilot hole

mazthespark

depends on wher u are in galway. any place will have it. u will probably end up with a 110mm core ( bout 4.5 inches) and be prepared to be paitent when using them not the quickest of jobs or the quietest. maybe 60 - 80 euro for a weekend to hire

Bazzy

and most diy fanatics love drilling holes!!! Just make 100% sure there is nothing between the outside and the inside!!

staker

I've seen lads using a running water hose to cool down the bit while drilling...
Didn't look safe to me..
When you're using it, keep your thumb of the hand you're drilling with tucked away under the palm of your hand.
If the drill gets unexpectedly caught on a stone or pebble in the wall the bit will bite and kick the drill clockwise and can be very sore indeed...

rcdk1

If the wall is of typical modern construction (i.e. a cavity wall) then you'll need:

• 110v Hilti Drill
• 110v Transformer
• Core drill bit (get the next size up from the diameter of your dryer vent)
• A long masonry drill bit (>300mm) to make a pilot hole. Diameter is not so important but approx the diameter of the bit at the center of the core bit.
• A normal masonry drill bit (something like 6 or 8mm diameter)
• Screws and rawl plugs to suit the 6-8mm bit
• Vent cover

I added the last three items for fitting a vent cover which is important to stop rodents getting into your house. It may mean taking off the vent cover once a year and cleaning the fluff off but anything is better than having rats.

As for cost, I don't know but i wouldn't think more than €80 as mazthespark said.

Although not what you actually asked :eek::
Use the long bit to drill right through the wall. Then use the core bit to core each leaf of the wall from it's respective side. You'll end up with a much straighter & neater hole although this probably isn't as important as I presume the dryer has a flexible vent hose.

Finally, if the house is old and has walls made of mixed stone/rubble then you should look into getting someone into core the wall. Having cored a few of these walls myself, have to say it's a b*#~h

bbam

Top tip from my plumber...

Core out the hole with a slight fall to the outside.. any condensation will drain out rather than back in which would give a damp spot...

You should also pick up a can of expandable foam to seal up any draught along the pipe...

Best of luck

HardyEustace

It's a new build (well, four year old new build) so would suspect it is a cavity wall.

Guys, thanks so much for all your help and advice. You're very kind, I really appreciate it.