Improper clothes dryer venting

Hello all,

Our clothes washer and dryer are installed in a garage-type/storage room (it's a finished room), but the dryer was never vented to the outside. As well as the heat (we're in the desert), I have to contend with everything being covered with lint. There's no way to install a vent without cutting a hole in the wall (and I'd have to do it myself - we're on a very tight budget), and there's about 23 inches between the outside of that wall and another wall. I can come up with at least a half dozen more reasons why I'm not eager to do this.

My son suggested getting a Rubbermaid tote and cutting a hole in the side, and taping the vent hose so it doesn't pop out. I could then take the top off to clean out the lint, and it wouldn't be flying all over the place.

Does anyone have any idea if this is viable? Could it become too hot inside the tote and either melt it or start a fire? 

I'm at my wit's end - I also use this room for a workshop/craft room, and I have to plan my paint/stain projects around the laundry.

Thanks!

Terrie

Maybe this will help..

Terriej:

As well as the heat (we're in the desert), I have to contend with everything being covered with lint.

The thought occurs to me:  Is the dryer electrically heated, or is it fuel fired?

If the heat that drys the clothes comes from a flame, you are keeping the exhaust gases inside the space without actually exhausting them to the outside.

Lint traps, whether home made or store bought, require the ready movement of air.  The more cloggable the system, the harder it is for the dryer to work (think: more $ for energy).  And, I'm pretty sure RubberMaid products are not made to withstand heat.

The cost of a good lint trap kit will be about the same cost as the through-wall duct kit plus a long drill bit and a key hole saw.

Exhausting the dryer heat into the outside will cut down your air conditioning cost and will quickly pay back your investment.

While it seems like the task will be difficult, it's not, really.

Thank you for the advise and suggestions. The dryer is electric, so I don't have the gas issues to worry about - thank God! I know there's not a lot I can do about the heat, but the room is only connected to the house by an enclosed porch, and has no adjoining walls. I use a box fan to blow the heat back toward the room's window in the summer, but open the sliding glass door to the house in the winter and use the fan to blow the heat the other direction. 

I'll take a look at those trap kits - not having all that lint everywhere would be a huge improvement, and make my life so much easier! Thanks, again!!