Cleaning Dryer Vent

K

Kattie E

Guest
How often do you clean your dryer vent?

How do you clean it? Do you use one of the brushes or something else?
 
We clean ours after every three loads. The lint just comes right out without a problem.
 
If your talking about the hose or duct that runs outside a leaf blower will work wonders..
 
Depends. Properly installed, should rarely need cleaning. But most are not properly installed.

I would recommend checking it quarterly to begin with and gauge it from there.

While we're on the subject...if you have the plastic or thin foil vent, have it replaced ASAP with rigid duct or at least the heavy duty flexible metal duct. The plastic dryer vents burn down a lot of houses every year.

And, replace your washing machine hoses with the stainless steel braided type. They are now inexpensive ($20), and bursted washing machine hoses are the leading cause of insurance claims for water damage.

So sayeth the Guard Dad!
 
I was talking about the dryer vent that traps the lint in the dryer.
 
And, remember that if you use dryer sheets that lint filter needs washing every so often. Maybe once a quarter as well? The dryer sheets leave a deposit that traps the air.
 
If (and I am not actually sure lol) we are speaking of the lint screen, every time. My dryer actually will not turn on until the lint screen is checked. (The lint light goes on and the start button does not engage)
My husband does check the pipe thingy that runs out of the house every so often, but I have never seen him actually "clean" it.
 
If you go to FlyLady.net, you can order Tom's brush cleaning kit to clean the dryer from the lint that escapes.
 
Guard Dad said:
Depends. Properly installed, should rarely need cleaning. But most are not properly installed.

I would recommend checking it quarterly to begin with and gauge it from there.

While we're on the subject...if you have the plastic or thin foil vent, have it replaced ASAP with rigid duct or at least the heavy duty flexible metal duct. The plastic dryer vents burn down a lot of houses every year.

And, replace your washing machine hoses with the stainless steel braided type. They are now inexpensive ($20), and bursted washing machine hoses are the leading cause of insurance claims for water damage.

So sayeth the Guard Dad!
Click to expand...

Thanks everyone for your input. I was referring to the dryer duct hose thing. I clean my lint trap after every load. Thanks Guard Dad for the advice, I will have husband to change over to the rigid stuff.

We have all those good connections on the washer & dishwasher.

There was a house here in Richmond that burned down over the weekend due to a dryer fire and I just want to take every precaution.

Thanks again! :)
 
Kattie E said:
Guard Dad said:
Depends. Properly installed, should rarely need cleaning. But most are not properly installed.

I would recommend checking it quarterly to begin with and gauge it from there.

While we're on the subject...if you have the plastic or thin foil vent, have it replaced ASAP with rigid duct or at least the heavy duty flexible metal duct. The plastic dryer vents burn down a lot of houses every year.

And, replace your washing machine hoses with the stainless steel braided type. They are now inexpensive ($20), and bursted washing machine hoses are the leading cause of insurance claims for water damage.

So sayeth the Guard Dad!
Click to expand...

Thanks everyone for your input. I was referring to the dryer duct hose thing. I clean my lint trap after every load. Thanks Guard Dad for the advice, I will have husband to change over to the rigid stuff.

We have all those good connections on the washer & dishwasher.

There was a house here in Richmond that burned down over the weekend due to a dryer fire and I just want to take every precaution.

Thanks again! :)
Click to expand...

To expand a bit....you want a smooth pathway to the outside without dips or low places. Lint will setting and accumulate in low spots. That, and plastic vent hose is what causes fires. Give it a nice, straight pathway to the outside, and you'll never have an problems.
 
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