# Exterior dryer exhaust vent solution--need help birds getting in



## Techsas Jim (Mar 9, 2010)

Hey guys,

Hope you can help me out here with a solution. We have a couple vents around our 2 story home for our dryer and bathroom exhausts. The original covers the builder put on them were plastic louver-type covers that would allow air flow out but would close to prevent rain, etc from entering.

Well one day my neighbor told me that he watched birds fly up to it, lift a louver and jump in. I cleaned out all the nesting materials they had put in there and then decided to just use window screen netting to seal it off. Turns out the birds broke through that and now I have one in my wall (super).

Does anyone know of a cover that I could buy that would be bird/varmint proof? The vent is maybe 4"x4" and is ~12' off the ground so I really shouldn't have any troubles with squirrels, etc more birds.

Thanks in advance!
JJ


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## benthook1 (Apr 13, 2010)

*bird proof*

find/ buy a collinder, strainer, or seive ,and put over it , anything from plastic to stainless steel,, steel will last longer.. 
good luck -bhook


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## SetDaHook (Oct 21, 2010)

go to Lowes or Home Depot and get some hardware cloth. It's actually heavy duty galvanized screen wire that you can fashion into either a cage for the outside of the vent, or you can cut a section and wedge it into the inside of the vent, then replace the plastic louver. I used this method to keep rats out of my attic from a vent pipe, so if its tough enough for rats, birds won't have a chance!! Good Luck..P.S.,,,it's cheap too....about a $10.00 fix!!


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## Techsas Jim (Mar 9, 2010)

Good deal, thanks for the help guys. Looks like I have a nice weekend project.


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

They make louver covers that are multi-layered, meaning there is more than one flap on the louver. Generally, these are small enough to keep varmints/birds out.


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## Techsas Jim (Mar 9, 2010)

HydraSports said:


> They make louver covers that are multi-layered, meaning there is more than one flap on the louver. Generally, these are small enough to keep varmints/birds out.


Thanks for this, I will look into it as well. The original I had had 3 flaps on it and the birds (finches?) were small enough to get in there with straw, twigs, etc. for nesting material.

I could see if it had 5-6 there would be small enough gaps to prevent access.

Will look for something like this as well, a good combination of all suggestions will bird-proof these vents.

Thanks!
JJ


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