Many of our household appliances get taken as a given until they break down, and the dryer will be no exception. Sometimes we seem to forget how lovely it takes 20 minutes to bring our clothing from damp to toasty and dry until we get trapped with a broken dryer but nothing to wear.
It is critical to get your dryer exhaust cleaned regularly to help increase the life span of the dryer and take care of your family safely. It will improve the dryer’s efficiency, but it will also help to avoid fires and other risks. Now you might be thinking about how often to clean the dryer vent. Keep on reading to know all about the cleaning of a dryer vent.
How Often to Clean the Dryer Vent?
Cleaning these ducts is vital for more than just your clothing and time (and sanity). Lint can develop in these ducts over time, mixing with hot air and igniting, posing a fire threat. According to experts, dryer ducts must get cleaned twice a year. It may seem to be a scary idea to do it on your own. Still, there are methods to accomplish it conveniently, inexpensively, and swiftly.
There are several indicators that the dryer is not operating at maximum efficiency. If you’ve observed any of the following problems with your dryer. In that case, it’s time to call in an experienced expert to evaluate it and conduct any necessary maintenance and repairs.
Heat and Humidity
The fundamental function of a clothes dryer is to create and maintain hot air within the machine to dry your wet garments. This heated air should only be able to leave through to the dryer vent outside.
However, if the dryer vent is blocked, hot air will be forced back into the machine, causing it to overheat and become hot to the touch. Your garments will also become overheated inside the dryer, which might harm the textiles.
Finally, an overheating dryer may increase the amount of hot, humid air in your house. It will be causing climate control devices like air conditioners and dryers to work harder, increasing your energy costs.
Inefficiency
A blocked dryer vent would also make it more difficult for the dryer to accomplish its work. If your clothing takes longer than usual to dry, one of the first things you should search for is a clogged vent. This issue will increase your energy expenses and have the ability to damage the lifespan of the dryer significantly.
Odors
While your dryer is operating, you may have detected a small, musty odor. It is just another indication that your dryer vents need to get cleaned. It’s also another possibly deadly problem with your dryer vent.
Suppose you keep using your dryer, notwithstanding the odor. In that case, you may detect a strange odor emanating from the rear of your machine. Severely blocked dryer vents contain a lot of highly combustible lint that, if left to accumulate, may begin to emit a burning odor.
If you smell a burning stench coming from the dryer, turn it off immediately and contact a professional to inspect and cleanse the dryer vent.
What to Do First?
After knowing how often to clean the dryer vent, before beginning cleaning, determine if your clothes dryer get powered by gas or electricity:
- A grounding 240-volt electrical outlet will get found on an electric dryer. The plug will also be more significant than ordinary plugs, with three or four prongs.
- A gas-powered dryer, on either hand, connects to a gas valve and plugs into a conventional 110-volt three-prong socket.
If your dryer gets powered by gas, switch off the gas supply valve when cleaning and avoid overstressing the bendable gas line while moving the unit. If you have any doubts or are inexperienced about doing it, seek professional help for the best result.
How to Clean the Dryer Vent?
You’re ready to get started now that you’ve gathered your materials. The steps are as follows:
- Unplug the dryer.
- Take out any garments that are in the dryer.
- Remove any lint from the trap filter.
- Remove the dryer from the wall to make a place for the duct.
- By gently removing the connector, you may remove the hose.
- Vacuum any visible clutter in your laundry area, as well as behind and under your washer and dryer
- Clean up the vent duct of lint.
- Drag the lint out from the vent pipe using the duct cleaning brush.
- Clear out the lint trap and eliminate any lint that has gotten past the filter using the vacuum attachments.
- Examine the exterior vent to ensure that there are no obstructions.
- If the outside vent is clogged, use the vacuum, lint brush, and air blow to remove as much lint as possible.
- It would be best if you now replaced the hose connection on the rear of your dryer and the lint screen.
- Reconnect your dryer and enjoy a clean, more efficient device.
Here is a useful video found on YouTube.
How to Prevent Future Build-up?
To keep those nasty lint fibers from interfering with the future drying game, remove the lint trap filters at the outer parts of the dryer door and clean them out before each cycle. Depending on how frequently you dry your clothing, you should also vacuum the lint screen regularly. Finally, it’s a great idea to brush and dust your dryer’s area.
Final Thought
Because your laundry room cleaning is frequently neglected, make it a practice to remove the lint from the filter after each usage. Consider contacting an expert dryer cleaning business to come out and clean your dryer vents once a year. It will improve the dryer’s efficiency, save you money on electricity, and extend the life of your equipment.
Peter Willy is a dedicated smart home lighting enthusiast with a passion for exploring the latest innovations in the field. With years of hands-on experience, Peter buys new smart lighting products, rigorously tests them, and shares his insights through detailed troubleshooting guides and informative articles. His deep understanding of smart lighting technology and commitment to helping others make him a trusted source for anyone looking to enhance their home with the latest in smart lighting solutions
