One important task that many homeowners overlook is cleaning out their dryer vents. There are several reasons why it’s worth learning how to complete this chore and doing it at least once per year. Most importantly, cleaning out your dryer vent regularly can decrease the risk of a fire starting in your home. Additionally, it can help keep your dryer running smoothly and doing its job effectively. If you’ve ever noticed that your dryer is taking forever to dry your clothes, a clogged dryer vent could very well be the reason. Plus, a dirty dryer vent can worsen the energy efficiency of the appliance, leading to increased electricity costs. Here, we’ll cover how you can thoroughly clean the dryer vent in your American Fork, UT, household. To do the job effectively, you’ll want to equip yourself with gloves, and you’ll need a special vent-cleaning brush as well as a vacuum cleaner.
Why Do Dryer Vents Need Cleaning?
Whenever you’re running clothes through your dryer, little pieces of lint are coming off the fabric. While the majority of this lint will get trapped in the dryer’s removable lint filter, some of it tends to slip past it. And when lint and other debris get past the filter, it accumulates in the little gaps along the dryer duct. Eventually, when those crevices become full of lint, the dryer’s airflow becomes restricted. That will not only impact the performance of the appliance, but it can also cause the dryer to overheat. In some cases, an overheating dryer can lead to lint and debris igniting and starting a fire.
Step 1: Locate the Dryer Vent
When you’re ready to clean your dryer vent, the first step is locating where it starts and ends. With most dryers, the ventilation system will include an exhaust hose and a vent duct, which will be connected to the back of the unit. If you’re having trouble locating your dryer’s vent, consulting the owner’s manual is your best bet.
Step 2: Disconnect the Dryer
Next, to ensure that you can safely clean the event, you need to disconnect your dryer from its power source. If you have a standard dryer, you’ll simply need to disconnect the power cord. With a gas-powered unit, you need to turn off the gas or propane valve.
Step 3: Remove the Dryer Vent
If your dryer vent has any clamps or tape attached, remove them first. Then, you’ll want to disconnect the vent hose and pull it away from the ductwork. You should also remove the cover from the end of the vent duct. That way, you’ll have access to every part of the dryer vent for cleaning.
Step 4: Vacuum the Vent Hose
The next thing you’ll want to do is detach the vent hose from your dryer by loosening the brackets. Once you’ve done that, you can choose your method for removing the lint and debris from the hose. Vacuuming is an effective choice; you should be able to use the vacuum cleaner’s hose extension to simply suck everything out of the vent hose.
Step 5: Brush the Vent Duct
Using a specialized vent brush, you should also make a point to clean out the vent duct. To do so, you’ll want to push the vent brush into the ductwork as far as you can and rotate it counterclockwise. This should knock quite a bit of lint and debris loose from inside the duct, which you can then clean up with the vacuum.
Step 6: Clean the Vent Cover
The last thing you should be sure to clean is the vent cover. Use a screwdriver to remove the cover, then thoroughly clean it with hot, soapy water and a cloth. Next, allow it to air dry or dry it with a clean cloth before reattaching it.
Step 7: Put Everything Back Together
Once you’ve cleaned the vent duct, vent hose, and vent cover, you can carefully put everything back together. Make sure that everything is connected properly, then restore the power to the dryer. Next time you need to run a load through the dryer, make sure that everything is working properly.
At Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing, we’ve been faithfully serving the greater American Fork area since 1910. With over 100 years of reliable service, we’ve developed a reputation for exceptional work and dedicated customer service. The expert services we offer include heating, cooling, plumbing, indoor air quality, sheet metal fabrication, and ductwork services. Give us a call at Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing today to schedule an appointment!
