Cleaning Your Dryer Vent

Cleaning your dryer vent is an important part of household maintenance and safety.

If your clothes aren’t coming out fully dry, or if you notice a “heavy” noise from the dyer, it may be time to clean the vent.

Clogged dryer vents do more than just increase the time it takes for your clothes to fully dry. If left clogged for too long, it becomes a potential fire hazard.

Fortunately, cleaning it out is a pretty simple task. Here are a few tips on how to safely clean your dryer vent.

• Unplug the unit. You should never work on any major electric appliance while it’s plugged in, especially when static electricity can be so easily created. Most household dryers use a basic wall plug, making it easy to cut its power.
  
• Detach the vent hose. Pull the dryer out away from the wall, until the hose loses its slack. Then unscrew the clamps that attach the hose to the unit and pull it off.
  
• Thoroughly vacuum the hose. With the hose detached, use your shop vac or small attachment on your vacuum cleaner to thoroughly vacuum the hose. Get all the lint and other debris suctioned out. Be careful not to crack or puncture the hose.
  
• Reattach the hose and vacuum the exterior vent. Install the hose in the opposite way you took it off, and then slide the dryer back where you had it. Then go outside to the exterior dryer vent and remove the lint buildup if you can reach it. Suction it out with the vacuum, if possible, otherwise scrape it out by hand. If it’s in a difficult spot or you don’t have the tools to get to it, call a local company that cleans dryer vents.
  
• Turn on the dryer. Once the exterior vent is cleaned out, run the empty dryer on the air-dry setting for about 10-20 minutes. This should help dislodge any remaining debris out of the vent. As the dryer is running, go back outside and make sure you can feel the air flow out of the exterior vent.
  

It’s important to clean your dryer vent at least once a year, but it’s perfectly fine to do so more often. With this basic maintenance, you can maintain your dryer’s efficiency, lower your energy costs, and prevent dangerous dryer fires.

For more tips on maintaining your major appliances, visit our website or call us at 815-288-7841.

Ace Hardware & Outdoor Center

900 N Galena Ave

Dixon, IL 61021