Your laundry may be one of the busiest in your home, but it may not top your list when it comes to your regular cleaning. Many of us neglect to clean our washer and dryer regularly, and that’s a problem.
How often should the ventilation of the dryer be cleaned?
You should clean the air vent of the dryer at least once a year; make it part of your annual dryer duct cleaning. But also note if the tumble dryer takes longer to dry the clothes, as this may indicate dust and lint build up in the dryer vent.
Excessive build-up of lint in the dryer can also cause a fire, as the lint is very flammable. A significant number of fires are caused by the accumulation of dryer lint, which is an important reason for regularly checking and dryer duct cleaning.
6 Easy Steps to Clean Your Dryer Vent
Step 1: Disconnect The Dryer from The Power Source
This could simply mean unplugging the electric dryer from the electrical outlet. If you have a gas dryer, be careful not to disconnect the gas from the supply valve; just close the gas valve to prevent it from getting into the dryer while you are working with it. (If you are uncomfortable working with the gas dryer, seek professional dryer duct cleaning service for your machine.)
Step 2: Disconnect The Dryer Air Duct
Wear a protective respirator mask when handling the air vent of the dehumidifier. Carefully move the dryer away from the wall so that you have access to the rear air vent of the dryer on the back of the machine.
You can now detach the exhaust duct from the machine (usually the connections are simply clamped, but other times a screwdriver may be required). Inspect the dryer vent, usually a flexible plastic, rigid or semi-rigid metal tube, for breaks or damage.
Repair small tears with a non-paper tape such as duct tape or metal repair tape. If the conduit is badly damaged, replace it after dryer duct cleaning.
Note. Experts such as the International Association of Home Inspectors, USA, recommend replacing flexible ventilation pipes with rigid ones whenever possible. This is because lint can build up in the ribbed bends of the hose, causing them to build up more quickly, increasing the risk of fire. Here are our step-by-step instructions on how to upgrade your dryer vent to improve safety and efficiency.
After knowing the start and end point of your channel, it’s time to unplug the dryer. It is an easy task if you have an electric dryer. First remove the power cord of the machine from the socket. Then remove the straps or metal clips to attach the dryer vent pipe to the exhaust. If it’s easier, you may just want to remove the material that ensures ventilation to the duct in the wall.
Find the outlet for your dryer on the back of the device.
Carefully remove the duct vent tube from the wall. If your dryer is electric, you should be able to push the device easily. This opens up more space to work.
Homeowners with dryers that run on natural gas need to be extra careful. Be careful not to disturb the dryer gas line too much if you have to reposition the device. As with gas stoves, the fuel connection is generally made from a flexible steel hose after dryer duct cleaning.
The hose should be firmly attached, but it is best to be on the safe side. Gas leaks are serious and dangerous business. If at any time you are unsure, contact a professional.
Step 3. Use The Vacuum Hose and Brushes to Clean the Lint Collection and Ventilation.
An angled vacuum cleaner should effectively remove most of the lint from the dryer lint trap, but you can also use a soft cloth.
Whenever possible, use a long, flexible brush (for example, for cleaning refrigerator coils or a brush designed for air ducts) to reach hard-to-reach corners and crevices in the lint trap. (Be sure to clean the lint trap after every load of laundry.)
Use a vacuum cleaner around the back of the dryer to remove lint from the end of the machine from the exhaust duct. Then remove debris, lint and dust from the gutter itself. You can purchase a simple duct brush set with a retractable bar to remove stubborn dust that cannot be found in the duct.
Finally, while the machine is being removed, vacuum the dust off the floor around it.
Step 4: Clean The Outside of the Dryer Vent
If you have access, you can easily get to the outside vent of the dryer. It is usually located on an outside wall (often with a screen or cover to prevent animals from getting inside).
Unscrew all covers and check for damage requiring repair. Use a vacuum cleaner to catch the lint and dirt again, or use a ventilation brush to gently blow out the lint and then vacuum it.
Depending on the amount of deposits, you may need to empty the vacuum bag or canister several times during this dryer duct cleaning cycle.
Step 5: Reconnect The Air Vent and Do a Test Run
If you are sure you have completely cleaned the air vent of the dryer, replace the outer vent cover. Then replace the internal vent on the dryer itself, making sure it is secure.
Reinsert the dryer and reconnect it or open the gas valve.
Do manual work with a fast “air” cycle to check the flow from outside, or load a small load of laundry and check that the ventilation hole stays in place and works efficiently. You can also check the air flow outside by grasping the air vent of the dryer to check the power output of the dryer.
Be sure to clean the air vent of the dryer at least once a year or more often.
If your dryer vent is similar to mine, expect a lot of lint to flow from the wall. The amount of trash thrown on the laundry floor brought me to my knees. In the end, I had to clean the vacuum twice to get it working again. In hindsight, I recommend using a simple broom and dustpan.
After dryer duct cleaning, put everything back as it was, with one exception. If your dryer used soft foil vent to connect to the wall duct, remove it. These hoses are a known fire hazard. I personally replaced the original semi-rigid breather with a pair of 90-degree aluminum arches. Adjustable yet tough, they are durable and offer the best airflow duration.
Step 6: Take a quiz and smile.
No doubt about it. Thoroughly cleaning your dryer duct is a messy, sweaty job. Two years of neglecting the gutters was all it took to effectively paralyze old hair dryer. However, a short test after dryer duct cleaning confirm that the device had recovered its full performance.
Not only would you not have to buy an expensive new device, but you would also expose the Kibosh to a terrible dryer fire. It is a worthwhile task.
Hope ezineposting article helps you to know east steps for dryer duct cleaning!