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If you ’ve recently noticed that your clothes dryer is choose longer to dry clothes than it used to , it ’s fourth dimension to clean the drier vent . A dryer vent that ’s clogged with lint and other debris can make for a longer drying cycle , but it also can trigger a much more serious problem — a drier attack . Clogged dryer outlet are one of the top suit of drier fires , so it ’s vital to know how to pick a dryer vent .
Although it ’s a much less dramatic business organization , an inefficientdryercan cost you both time and money , tacking on as much as $ 20 a month to your utility bill . Sure , you couldhire a professional to clear out the vent-hole for you , but this is a caper that many DIYers can do . Read on to learn how to cleanse a drier vent-hole , and how to keep it well assert .
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Project Summary
For full teaching , continue reading below … .
Tools & Materials
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Step 1: Cut power to the appliance.
The first and most authoritative dance step is to cut great power to the clothes dryer . To maintain refuge , do n’t do any work on theventwhile the widget is drawing electricity . The unsubdivided and safest way to geld baron is to unplug the social unit . Keep in mind that this may expect pulling the drier out from its current position . Do n’t stress yourself . If the machine is too backbreaking to move on your own , engage help from another soul . If you have a gas drier , close up the valve on the natural gas line as well .
Step 2: Locate the vent and disconnect the hose.
Dryer vent are typically easy to find . Look for a thick atomic number 47 or white hose add up from the back of the drier . It should be about 4 inches in diameter and can be made with flexible white vinyl , thin aluminum enhancer , semi - rigid aluminum , or completely set atomic number 13 pipage . Once you have place the vent-hole hose at the back of the dryer , just comply it along to the place where it perish the home base . It should be take for in place at both ends by a round wall bracket that fits over the top of the 4 - in hose and tightens around the changeover vent piping .
Pull the dryer out from the bulwark as far as your volcano hose will allow ( typically , about 1 to 2 feet ) . Place adrop clothon the trading floor to get debris . ( This is particularly important for a vent that has never been cleaned , because there is probable to be a large amount of accumulated hair , lint , rubble , and poop . )
Use ascrewdriverto tease apart the clamp that keep the outlet hosiery attach to the dryer . reckon on your drier vent set up , you may only necessitate to detach the hosiery at the back of the dryer . If your setting requires it , detach the hosepipe from the wall as well and set the hose on the floor .
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Step 3: Carefully clean the hose.
With the volcano hose detached , you have a few choices for how to quickly remove the bulk of the detritus in the release :
Step 4: Discard the debris and reattach the hose.
No matter which dryer vent cleaning method acting you take , be sure to clean up the debris inside or outside of your home . The method acting illustrated in the photos above ( infix a dryer vent brush from outside of the home and push dust downward into the basement wash elbow room ) requires sucking up the lint and other slime collected on the drib fabric with a workshop vac .
Once the rubble is removed , reattach the hose and tighten the clamp . Then slide the drier back into office against the wall .
Step 5: Clean the exterior vent cover.
Use your hands or a vacuum attachment to top out any accumulated lint in or around the exterior dryer vent cover . pass over off remaining dust and dust with a microfiber cloth to guarantee that the breathing scheme is wholly clean .
When the venthole looks clear , go back inside the sign of the zodiac , plug the dryer back in , reopen the gasolene line if you have a gas dryer , and execute the empty machine on the air - teetotal setting for about 20 minutes . tick off alfresco to make certain that both air and any rest lint are blowing out of the vent before checking this of import to - do off of your list .
Dryer Vent Cleaning Safety Precautions
There are several dryer vent cleaning prophylactic precaution that make the Book of Job easier and safe .
Regular Clothes Dryer Vent Maintenance
It ’s of import to clean house your dryer volcano at least once a twelvemonth . If the buildup is so bully that you ca n’t break through the lint , hire a professional .
A thoroughgoing yearly cleaning is n’t quite enough , however . It takes regulardryer maintenanceto ensure that the appliance operate safely and efficiently .
FAQs
Q: Does your dryer have to vent outside?
While there are some electrical dryers that are designed to vent indoors for locations like apartments and condos , this is n’t the case with most household drier . If you have access to an exterior wall , it ’s upright to vent outdoors . throttle - power dryers always need to air out out of doors to forbid the buildup of hazardous gases .
Q: Is venting a dryer into a house safe?
There are some apartment - sized electricdryersthat may ventilate indoors , but ventilate inwardly can go to serious mold , mildew , and other moisture - interrelate issues . Venting indoors with a natural gas dryer , however , is dead not safe . The fumes produced by burning born gasolene can build up indoors and cause serious hurt or even expiry .
Q: Can I vent a dryer into the garage?
Venting an electric dryer into the service department may seem like a unspoilt idea , but unless the garage is always clear to the outdoors , you will turn tail the same risk of make wet - related problems , like mould and mildew . Likewise , ventilate a gas drier into the garage can cause toxic fumes to increase within the enclosed space , stimulate a significant hazard to anyone within the service department .
Q: How do you fix a dryer vent that is disconnected?
To reconnect adryer vent hose , but loosen the existing brackets to grant the vent hose to slither over the transition pipe . Then tighten the brackets , making sure that they are soused enough to forestall the vent hose from sliding off or shifting . If the job persists , you may need to replace the bracket or the vent hosiery .
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Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob VIla
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
Photo: Tom Fenenga for Bob Vila
