Dryer Vent Cleaning Tips

Drying time could increase and the dryer might overheat when the vents are filled with lint and other fragments. Energy consumption increases since the dryer would have to run longer to dry clothes. This can also cause fires in the dryer duct or the dryer itself.

When
A dryer vent that has not been cleaned in the past year or two, needs proper cleaning. When your dryer is running longer than the usual, you may need to clean it. If short and straight, they can be cleaned easily by the owner. You may need special tools and equipment in some cases. Most repair companies do the job with special tools.

Why
By cleaning the vents, you are protecting your homes from smokes, pollutants, and fires. The cost of operation energy would significantly reduce and they would last longer. Lastly, the clothes would dry faster.

Mistakes
1. If the dryer vent has many bends or they are too long do not use a duct booster as it would result to lint build-up. Shorter and straighter the duct, the better.
2. Using flammable, foil duct extenders, and flimsy plastic is wrong. Metal vents are the ones that should be used, most manufacturers specify this. As they resist crushing, it allows lint and air to be carried out of the system. Build-up caused by reduced airflow may be the source of overheating and it wears out the appliance faster.
3. Clearance space is inadequate between the wall and the dryer. Most owners tend to put the dryer right against the wall, thus, crushing the venting material. Reduced airflow and the build-up of lint result in the cumulative effect of the dryer to prevent it from drying in a normal speed. Because of this, the safety switch for high temperature limit cycle would go on and off to control the heater. Other high temperature limit safety switches were not designed to go on and off continuously, so they fail over a period of time.
4. The failure to clean the dryer duct.

Things you will need in cleaning
1. Screwdriver
2. Nut Driver
3. Trash basket or bag
4. Plumbing Snake or dowel (optional)

How to Clean
1. Unplug the dryer (it may be gas or electric).
2. Turn off the gas (if the dryer is a gas dryer).
3. Just to the extension of the vent, pull the dryer out (it is just about 1 ½ to 2 feet)
4. Loosen the 4" clamp, the clamp, found on the back of the dryer, using a screwdriver or a nut.
5. It should slide off the dryer easily.
6. Pull out any lint and build-up as you reach to the hole on the back of the dryer. Pull out the lint from where you reached on the back. The lint would build up at the ends mostly. If there is a case that you find a large lint build-up in the middle, plumbing snake can be used to pull it out. If the path is straight, coat hanger or dowel can extend your reach.
7. Slide the clamp back, you should reattach it, then tighten the clamp, and slide the dryer back.
8. The vent should be removed outside the house. It might be caulking around the cover, also in its screws. You can use a razor knife to cut the caulk. The cover will slide out; the sleeve is about a foot long.
9. Reach and clean the lint out, reaching as far as your arm will go.
10. Inspect and check if you missed anything. Use a plumber snake or other tool if you cannot reach it.
11. Turn the unit's plug-in and the gas back on.
12. Fluff the dryer with air for 10 minutes.
13. Inspect the outside for any barrier then you should reattach the outside vent.

Tips on cleaning
If it is too long and have several bends, you can add a rubber hose adapter that fits on an end of a leaf blower and the vent piece that sticks out of the wall, and also buy some hose clamps. Fasten tightly everything then turn the leaf blower on; surprisingly, lint would come out even after you clean it.

You can also remove the bottom front panel while you are cleaning it and clean it, too. Devices are available to clean an entire tube. However, you will not need it except on worst case scenario.