# Drilling through foundation for dryer vent



## dac122 (Sep 5, 2008)

If we are talking about a standard 8x8x16 cinder block then the easiest is to drill out one side as the center web will be in your way. I would not worry about your house coming down as several blocks are usually removed to make way for most basement windows.


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## mattymatt (Mar 11, 2010)

dac122 said:


> If we are talking about a standard 8x8x16 cinder block then the easiest is to drill out one side as the center web will be in your way. I would not worry about your house coming down as several blocks are usually removed to make way for most basement windows.


 hey thanks! but just outta curiosity(I'm not questioning you), will there be a rebar in there or will I just somehow blast right through that? the house was made in the 20s-30s I believe.


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## dac122 (Sep 5, 2008)

mattymatt said:


> hey thanks! but just outta curiosity(I'm not questioning you), will there be a rebar in there or will I just somehow blast right through that? the house was made in the 20s-30s I believe.


You are correct that modern construction techniques can use rebar, but given the age I would doubt it. My house was built in the 80s and I have no rebar. 

If you run into that, get a hold of a small angle grinder with metal cutting wheel, remove the shield and handle, get her in there and cut right through that rebar. You get a dope-slape if you go without gloves or safety glasses for any of this.


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## Marty S. (Oct 31, 2009)

Matt, if possible I'd go through above the block. Usually it's only a row or two high before you have framing.


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## mattymatt (Mar 11, 2010)

Marty S. said:


> Matt, if possible I'd go through above the block. Usually it's only a row or two high before you have framing.


 I really considered that, but, you're gonna love this, the wood framing right above the block is surrounded on the outside by 2-3 feet of excess siding. I know it sounds crazy but it's very hard to explain. I would love more than anything to go through wood instead of stone but I guess we'll just see what happens. Thanks for the tip!


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## cgoll (Apr 23, 2008)

If you are truely going through block (and not stone) do yourself a favor and go to Home Depot and rent a Hilti hammer drill. (If you don't have or can't borrow one.) They rent you one hole bit and a chisel bit. My cost was $34.13 total for a 4 hr rental including 'insurance'.

Made short work of routing a dryer vent through brick!


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## dac122 (Sep 5, 2008)

cgoll said:


> If you are truely going through block (and not stone) do yourself a favor and go to Home Depot and rent a Hilti hammer drill. (If you don't have or can't borrow one.) They rent you one hole bit and a chisel bit. My cost was $34.13 total for a 4 hr rental including 'insurance'.
> 
> Made short work of routing a dryer vent through brick!


Or for $40 you own it from Harbor Freight, including masonry bits, and you can bore that hole at your leisure.


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## cgoll (Apr 23, 2008)

Sorry dac, no Hilti performance for $40! I have a Chicago hammer drill and tried that for hours until I gave up and went to HD for the rental. The Hilti did each hole in less than 1/10th the time. I guess that's why they cost $400.


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## veesubotee (Nov 22, 2008)

cgoll said:


> If you are truely going through block (and not stone) do yourself a favor and go to Home Depot and rent a Hilti hammer drill. (If you don't have or can't borrow one.) They rent you one hole bit and a chisel bit. My cost was $34.13 total for a 4 hr rental including 'insurance'.
> 
> Made short work of routing a dryer vent through brick!


What are you insuring, the drill, or your wall?

V


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## mattymatt (Mar 11, 2010)

cgoll said:


> If you are truely going through block (and not stone) do yourself a favor and go to Home Depot and rent a Hilti hammer drill. (If you don't have or can't borrow one.) They rent you one hole bit and a chisel bit. My cost was $34.13 total for a 4 hr rental including 'insurance'.
> 
> Made short work of routing a dryer vent through brick!


 was it brick or concrete block (sorry, not sure if they're the same:whistling2. If block, did you go through the middle and did the drill go right through the web. And since I'm just soooo full of questions, how wide was the foundation? Thanks


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## cgoll (Apr 23, 2008)

V; 
the insurance was on the tool for any damages I may have done to it. It was about $3. Didn't realize it was optional when renting, but I was running out of daylight and in a rush. I'd decline in the future but not losing sleep over $3. Wish I could have insured the brick front house when thinking about this job. There is a lot of pucker factor when you start boring holes in the brick front of your house! But, thanks to some advice I got here, it all turned out great!



Matt; 
For my job I needed to go through a single course of red brick. The brick is not structural, but a facade on the front of my house. About 3 1/2 inches thick total, but solid brick. 

I think dac is giving good advice to aim to the side at the 1/3 point of a block (so as to avoid the center web) if you are dealing with something like standard cinder block. That should give you a a much easier pass through than all solid material.

Can you post a pic of what you've got?


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## cgoll (Apr 23, 2008)

One more clarification; I'm talking about the method where you drill a bunch of small (3/8") holes in a circle and then punch out the 4" hole with a chisel.

Is that what you meant?


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## mattymatt (Mar 11, 2010)

cgoll said:


> One more clarification; I'm talking about the method where you drill a bunch of small (3/8") holes in a circle and then punch out the 4" hole with a chisel.
> 
> Is that what you meant?


 exactly what I meant. I'll try to get pictures up later and hopefully the USB monster didn't come into my house again and steal my cords:laughing: EVERY FREAKIN TIME lol


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## Leah Frances (Jan 13, 2008)

My humble advice is to work the 'outside' of the hole from exterior. That way you can keep it nice and tidy.


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## cgoll (Apr 23, 2008)

Yes, most of the holes are drilled from the outside, but the centering hole is drilled from the inside ( in my one-time experience) to match your vent orientation.

And I think it would go without saying, but a 4" dryer vent needs a 4 1/2 " hole for clearance.

I used a 4 1/2 " hole saw to go through the inside drywall and then the plywood sheathing from the inside, and then drilled a centering hole through the brick from the inside. 

From that center, I plotted the numerous holes in the brick and mortar to be drilled from the outside.

Like I said, scary the first time you do it, but it works!


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## plummen (Jan 10, 2010)

can you just go through the sill above the block?


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## mattymatt (Mar 11, 2010)

Leah Frances said:


> My humble advice is to work the 'outside' of the hole from exterior. That way you can keep it nice and tidy.


 o yea, I'm definitely gonna do that


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## mattymatt (Mar 11, 2010)

plummen said:


> can you just go through the sill above the block?


 sorry about the last post^^^(thought that was the last one and I wanted to answer their post:laughing...anyways, yea, I considered that(there's a post in there somewhere) and I guess it would be easier to do that. I've stated before that the reason for me being against that was the overhang of the house but after looking at it, I suppose this would be the better alternative especially due to others feeling that it would be a better choice. What sucks is that the siding is "brick" and either way, I'm gonna have to do some masonry work lol...can I ever win?!?!?


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## plummen (Jan 10, 2010)

that would also keep it higher off of ground away from snow and critters like like to slither along the ground


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## mattymatt (Mar 11, 2010)

plummen said:


> that would also keep it higher off of ground away from snow and critters like like to slither along the ground


 that makes even more sense! thanks. I'll just talk it over with the hierarchs and hopefully get down to business soon. unfortunately, snow won't be a problem seeing as we'll never get another snow as good as the one we just had, well at least in the next 2-3 lifetimes lol


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