Dripping sound in wall behind stackable washer & dryer

Hello, I have a few questions related to a problem I've noticed and would greatly appreciate any help or guidance on how I should proceed. I ran a load of laundry and when putting it into the dryer (stackable washer/dryer on home's second floor), I heard a dripping sound coming from behind the stackable. I traced the drip to the hot/cold water hookup area. The drip is actually hitting the top of the plastic boxed housing for the water hookups and it drips every 5 seconds or so. You can see the photos below. Photo 1 shows the hot/cold water hookup with it's plastic boxed housing and above that is a cutout which is the vent hole leading to the roof where the dryer exhaust hooks up. In photo 2, I am pointing to the top of the plastic housing where the drip is hitting. I can see inside/behind the wall just barely and see plastic pvc piping. Assuming that is the source bringing water to the hot/cold water hookup for the washer, would it be safe to say that is where the leak is coming from? OR is it possible this is a leak from the roof that is dripping down somehow to this area. I am a forum newbie and a very lightweight DIY dabbler. Just to give you an idea of what I'm capable of: I for the first time replaced drywall around a leaky shower. It was somewhat difficult as there were corners involved, but I got it done. Clearly I am a novice so any "next steps" or ideas on how I should be moving forward would be greatly appreciated!
thanks
Willard

Is that vent line insulated where it passes through any unheated spaces (attic) on the way to the roof? If not, the drips are probably water from the dryer exhaust that is condensing on the surface of the metal vent pipe and running back down the pipe to the area of the elbow in the wall.

I was hoping you were right and it was exactly what you just said. I can confirm the exhaust vent pipe is not insulated where it protrudes from the wall in the laundry room (where the dryer hooks up to it), however, I went up into the attic to check and the dryer exhaust vent pipe is insulated with the black garbage bag type insulation the moment it goes into the attic all the way to the roof of my house (see it in the pic below).

* sorry for the photo issues. First photos came in sideways so I tried to compensate.

I should mention that the dripping has slowed to every 45 seconds or so now.

Does this sound only happen when you use the dryer ?

Do you have a Vent cap ?


Good Luck on your project.

"Does this sound only happen when you use the dryer ?"
No. Sorry if i confused. I ran the load of laundry through the washer first, then into the dryer. It was in between dryer cycles that I noticed the sound b/c nothing was running and it was quiet enough to hear the sound of a drip. I have since finished the laundry and the dripping sound continues to happen, although now, hours later the drip has become less frequent at about once every 45 seconds or so.

"Do you have a Vent cap ?"
Yes there is a vent cap

It may be that your Vent Pipe is installed backwards.

Meaning that the way one vent pipe is inserted into another. My explanation may suck, I hope you know what I am saying.

If it is backwards then the Moisture can run back down the insulation.

Condensation should not happen, on the outside of the vent pipe, because the Heat will normally evaporate it.

You should check the Joints , and see if the small side of the Vent Pipe is on the top, IE top pipe section fits into the one below it.

Are we confused yet ? I am. lol

I think it is a bad Idea to vent a dryer out of the roof, because the water can run run back in to the dryer.


Good luck.

Got it. I will see if I can pull that off. I will also periodically be listening to see if this keeps up or changes or is directly correlated to running the washing machine, etc. Also, it has been snowy out here lately so maybe it is weather related. I'll update when I get some answers. Thanks for your help

If you heard the noise BEFORE you turned on the dryer, then condensation involving the vent seems unlikely. If the water lines to the washer box are run through tight holes in the studs you may be hearing noise associated with expansion and contraction of the pipes.

I ran a couple loads of laundry and ran the dryer through a couple cycles, both yesterday. NO DRIP sound whatsoever. I have not heard the drip sound since the day I originated this post. Now I am wondering if maybe it could be weather related. Does this sound likely? We have been covered 'on and off' in snow lately. Could it be a drip through where the dryer exhaust vent is located on the roof. Maybe it had snow on it and then the dryer exhaust sends heat up, melting the snow, which then drips down along the OUTSIDE of the dryer exhaust pipe, dripping in the location described in the original post?

That sounds possible.

Snow can blow into the Vent cap, or Stack up around it. Snow drift.


Good Luck.

thanks all, for your help. I will continue to monitor and try to decipher the issue, if it decides to reappear. Thanks again!