HOW TO CLEAN OUT YOUR DRYER VENTS
Despite the promise in its name, a dryer may sometimes fall short of its duties. For example, a clogged dryer vent will likely prevent your appliance from working effectively, leaving you with a pile of damp clothes.In addition, it might be time to clean up your dryer vent ducts if you notice that the dryer’s outer side gets hot while doing its job.
For the sake of your clothes and your time, regularly cleaning the vent is necessary. In addition, lint accumulates in these ducts over months and years, mixing with hot air. Remember that lint is highly flammable, so neglecting this step in proper maintenance can create a fire risk.
Experts recommend that you clean your dryer ducts at least twice per year. It may seem daunting to handle on your own, but it can be done quite easily, affordably, and relatively quickly.
First Thing’s First.
It is crucial to find out FIRST whether your clothes dryer is running on gas or electricity.
- An electric dryer’s plug will be larger than the standard plug and have a 240-volt electric outlet. On the other hand, a gas-powered dryer prong outlet plugs into the standard 110 volts and connects to a gas valve.
If your dryer works with gas, you will want to turn off the gas supply valve when cleaning and ensure that the flexible gas line is not too disturbed while repositioning the device.
What You Will Need:
- Dryer safe cleaning kit
- Power drill
- Vacuum or dustpan and broom
How to Clean the Dryer Vent
1. Locate the Dryer Vent
Typically, you will find a short 4-inch exhaust tube connecting to a pipe inside a wall. Look inside the tube and determine if there is a blockage of dust, lint, or dead bugs.
2. Disconnect Your Dryer
After you find out how your ducts work, unplug the dryer. Remove any metal strip or tie that connects your dryer flow pipe with its exhaust.
3. Vacuum the Lint
From inside your laundry room, you should now be able to see through the dryer vent. With the hose attachment of a vacuum cleaner, suck up any lint in or around the hole.
4. Use a Brush to Get in There
First, connect your power drill to the dryer brush that came with your vent cleaning kit and insert the brush end of the rod into your duct.
5. Reconnect and Clean Up
Sweep away your new fluffy buddies using a vacuum cleaner or a broom and dustpan. Connect your wall duct and hook your dryer into the outlet.
6. Acknowledge it was a success
Listen for the beautiful sound of success as the air travels gently out the vent. There will be no more soaking wet clothes or endless cycles.
How To Avoid More Accumulation in the Future
Remove the lint trap filter at the outer edge of your dryer door and remove the lint before each cycle to guarantee that those pesky lint fibers don’t ruin your drying game in the future. It would help if you vacuumed the lint screen regularly. Finally, sweeping and dusting around your dryer is a brilliant idea.
Absolute Air offers a wide array of services, including, but not limited to, AC installation, AC repair, heating installation, heating repair, metal fabrication (for all types of ductwork), refrigeration, and gas line installation. Our trained team of technicians can also service and work on equipment brands such as American Standard, Train, Carrier, York, Goodman, Rudd, and Mitsubishi, to name a few.
If you have a service request not mentioned here, give us a call.
