I recently moved into a loft condo with a GE Spacemaker washer/dryer
unit.  Since I have high ceilings and the unit is not adjacent to any
outdoor area, the exhaust duct doesn't feed outside. Instead, the
previous owner fashioned a crude device whereby the duct feeds into a
plastic attachment, which then feeds into a pair of pantyhose, which
collects the excess lint.  While it generally works for collecting
lint, a lot of hot air still escapes the pantyhose and condensation
forms as well.  Not to mention it looks pretty unattractive!  I've
also noticed that the drying time on my loads is longer than you'd
expect...perhaps it has something to do with this duct issue.  Do you
have any other suggestions for a lint collector I can attach to this
exhaust duct?

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 25 Jun 2006 11:50 PDT

How about this?

"Lint Trap for Clothes Dryer - JUST $11.99
 Ideal for use where outside venting is impossible"

http://buyitnow64.stores.yahoo.net/linttrap.html

I use a very similar item to the one indicated by Pink. You fill the
unit with water and the dryer vents into it (I have the furnace/AC
condensate drain to the unit to keep it full-- the overflow goes to a
drain). It works, but does not come close to solving the moisture part
of the equation.

Spacemaker-type units tend to have longer dry cycles because they have
small heating elements. 110 volt units also have longer drying times.

Venting can be a problem. You must limit the duct run to about 20 feet
or so and knock off about 5 feet for each turn. One possibility is
venting to the plumbing system's vent stack, but you must check with
local law on that. This may allow sewer gasses into the home, which is
dangerous, but might be gotten around with a one-way air valve.

If your dryer is gas your setup is very dangerous and must not be used!

IN the meantime, you might try a new pair of pantyhose.  The lint will
definitely clog up the flow of air, reducing the throughput in the
drier, extending the drying period.