 Well, you're right, Mike. Getting the dryer-vent connection right is much more important than most people know, and for several reasons. First off, it's important for safety because dirty dryer ducts are a leading cause of house fires. Plus, the longer the dryer has to work to vent that moisture, the more energy it burns up in the process, not to mention all that increased wear and tear on the clothes as they tumble around a lot longer than they need to. So it sounds like you've tried the very straightforward approach.