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Why You Should and How You Should Clean Your Dryer Vents

  • By 7064132288
  • 25 Nov, 2019
  Lint build up in your dryer vent is a huge fire hazard due to the combustibility of lint. Lint builds up in more places in your dryer duct system than most people realize. Here in this blog we will be giving a detailed description on how to clean, identify, and avoid these huge fire hazards.

Signals of Lint Buildup

 When it comes to lint buildup there are a couple of things you want to look for;

  1. Clothes are not drying fully or are taking longer to dry than usual.

  2. Your clothes feel hotter than usual at the end of your dryer cycle.

  3. The outside of the dryer is overheating or feels hot to the touch.

  4. Low exhaust velocity, which is indicated by your outside exhaust flap not opening fully.

  5. Noticeable difference in humidity in the laundry area.  

  6. A burnt smell is permeating from your dryer.

All of these listed above are signs that it could be time to clean out your dryer vents. Make sure to keep an eye out for these signs to avoid fires and lower efficiency of your dryer system.


Tools For The Job


  First you will need a vacuum with a long hose extension. Second you will need a dryer vent brush kit, which should be available at your hardware store. Third you will need a Phillips head and, or flat head screwdriver. Lastly you will need UL- listed foil tape.    


Safety Considerations

First before you ever work on anything be sure that the power to your device is off. In this case it’s a dryer. Make sure to wear gloves and the proper safety equipment as well. Here at A-PLus Comfort LLC your safety is our number one concern. After you’ve acquired all the correct equipment and completed the steps above, you are ready to start cleaning!


Remove the Dryer Lint Trap

Carefully remove the trap in your dryer that catches all the excess lint from your clothes. Using a vacuum get all the excess lint caught in the screen of the trap. Make sure to clean thoroughly. Once completed there shouldn’t much lint at all left. Cleaning this regularly with help prevent lint buildup in your vents.    


Vacuum the Lint Trap Housing

 There is a lot of lint that your lint trap does not catch. The housing that holds the dryer lint trap gets incredibly dirty. Vacuuming this out is also a great preventive measure to avoid having to completely clean your dryer duct system. It will also prevent a dryer fire from taking place. Make sure to periodically check this housing. A lot of homeowners totally forget about this manifold.

Dryer Ductwork

The next step to this cleaning process is disconnecting your ductwork from your dryer system.

First make sure your dryer is unplugged and the breaker to it has been flipped to off so no power is going to your dryer. If it is a gas powered dryer make sure that the gas valve is shut completely off. Disconnect the duct joint closest to the dryer. Next pull your dryer away from the wall and ductwork. Be careful not to rip or puncture your duct system. Also make sure it has been completely disconnected from the dryer before you attempt to pull the dryer out. Next pull out any excess ductwork, and carefully remove any old take from the duct system. Using the manufacturer's instructions carefully assemble your duct brush kit. Insert the duct and rotate it in circular motion. Make sure to pull out the brush assembly regularly and clean it. Repeat this process until there is no more more visible lint. You will clean the remainder of the duct system using these same techniques. After that is complete check the outdoor dryer vent and clean that until it’s free of debris.    

 


Reattach Your Ductwork

After you’ve completed all the steps above, you are now ready to reattach your dryer duct work. Make sure it is reattached properly to your dryer system. Make sure your reattached duct meets all of the building codes and requirements.

Closing Statements

  Here at A-Plus Comfort LLC we are happy to assist you in any way we can. We have gladly been serving Huntsville, AL and the surrounding areas for over 5 years. Feel free to contact one of our technicians today at (256) 585-2550. Thank You!
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