Should I drill a large hole through a double paned window?

Question

I have a laundry room in the basement. There is no exhaust vent for the dryer. Currently we just open the window when drying, but this is not the greatest solution. There is a window and it is double paned glass. It seems to me this is probably the easiest option. I am afraid of damaging the window of course.

Should I try drilling/cutting the hole in the window for the dryer vent? Or should I have a professional do it?

The other option would be to drill a vent hole in the foundation.

The window itself is "European Style" in that it has a hinge on one side to be opened inwards and can also be "tipped" inwards.

FYI- I am in Europe and they do not use a lumber flooring system(here it is all concrete + cinder blocks), otherwise I would just go up and through the floor joists the old fashioned way. ;-)

Answer 1

NO!!! The vent will expand and contract and break the glass. You need to go through the cinder blocks (preferable, but if you must, go through the concrete).

Also, with double paned glass, there is usually an inert gas (or Nitrogen) sealed in between the panes. Drilling it will break the seal.

My advice: Get someone to do it for you. It is unlikely you have the drill/bit combination required for the job. It's cheaper to pay someone than to buy the tools.

Answer 2

Let me echo everything that Chris just said so well. Especially the part about NO!!!

Drilling a hole through a double pane window will reduce the efficiency of the window. It will almost surely crack when you tried to drill it, if not, then later. And you surely do not have the tools or the skills to drill such a hole. On top of that you do NOT want to breath in any glass dust from drilling that hole. Silicosis is a nasty way to die.

An alternative is to take out the window completely. Replace it with glass block, mortared in place, with a hole made the proper size for a vent. Or create a hole through the wall next to the window for your vent.

Answer 3

One option you might want to consider depends on whether you really need that window in your laundry room.

If not, then you could remove the entire glass double glazing unit and replace it with an insulated board of the same dimensions.

It should be much easier to make a suitable hole for your dryer hose in that and when you come to sell your house, you simply refit the double glazing unit and it is as good as it is now.

I did something similar when a friend needed to fit a cat-flap into the lower half of a door of a rented flat. We couldn't make any structural changes, but found a cheap insulated board, made the hole, fitted it into the door and kept the old panel in a safe place so that we could re-fit it when she left.

Answer 4

First - stop running the dryer without a vent immediately. Lint is extrememely flamable. I would look a replacing the window with part wood and part glass, similiar to what woodchips suggests.