Dryer vent cleaning

[buck91]

I'm looking at cleaning our dryer vent. Its an approx 15 foot horizontal run under the floor (accessible from basement) to the outside wall after making two 90 degree turns to get there. That is, the dryer itself vents towards the south side of the house and the vent runs north under the floor to the north outer wall.

Being so long, I haven't found any DIY kits that will reach and the last thing I need is to push all the lint up into a major clump. Disassembly IS an option but won't be super easy. The line is made of up sections of hard metal pipes which are first slip-fit together and them taped with some of the most tenacious HVAC tape I've ever run into. This would require dropping the entire line down from the joists after somehow getting a knife up above it on both ends to cut the tape...

 

[SatinSilver]

My parent's dryer was taking longer to dry than normal. They hired a professional to clean the vent line. It took a while since he had to go up into the attic. I forget who referred the guy to them but this is all the company does. He was there a few hours and the cost was reasonable. So this is an option, hiring a professional and cheap insurance.

 

[buck91]

Yes it is, but spending over a hundred bucks just to save myself a little pita isn't how I do things

 

[bioburner]

I moderate a pellet stove site and this look like a good application for the LBT. Leaf blower trick. Many youtube videos. A lint buster with extensions can help loosen up things. Glad your thinking of this as it is pretty high on the list of reasons for home fires and its fire prevention week I believe next week.

 

[NMBurb02]

Compressed air in one end and shop vac in the other?

 

[Danno]

Plumbers snake? Just keep feeding it in gradually and pulling it back. Pick off any lint you find.

 

[c502cid]

I have been using a 25ft retractable measuring tape for years. Turn the dryer on, go outside, stick the tape through the vent and gradually start feeding it in while agitating the best I can. Blows out chunks of lint!

 

[JC1]

After you clean it install one of these to trap the lint in the box.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-4-in-Dryer-Duct-Lint-Trap-PCLT4WHD

 

[SatinSilver]

I googled, "Dryer Vent Cleaning kit" and a bunch of results came up like this one:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Dryer-Vent-Cleaning-Kit-DVBRUSH12K-6HD/205047060

Search results: 250,000
Time for search: 0.55 seconds

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=dryer+vent+cleaning+kit

 

[CT8]

Call the guy.

 

[69GTX]

Should be able to put a bristle ball/cone on a wire or rope and pull it back it back through.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

There are plenty of kits that will work.

I have a dryer vent cleaning kit that attaches to my shop vac. I use it twice a year-spring and fall. I turn the dryer on (no heat, just tumble dry), and then from the outside start the shop vac. I have two 90 degree turns (the kit handles it just fine) and it attaches to a cordless drill. So not only does it get suction from the shop vac, but the dryer pushes air and the drill spins the brush-the vent is left clean as a whistle.

 

[sleddriver]

I use an electric leaf blower right where the dryer connects to the vent. Wear ear plugs. Up top on the roof, it looks like a fuzz bunny convention afterwards.

Then I take the shopvac hose and stick it up the dryer end to clean it out.

No worries....

 

[xfactor9]

There are kits on Home Depot, Lowes, Amazon, et al. LintEater is a popular one. HD also sells a clone. You would need one 12-foot kit, then work from both ends of the duct. Or you can buy a kit & extension, then work from inside out. The LintEater kit has an adapter for hooking up a leaf blower or shopvac so you can blow the lint onto your neighbor's yard while you rototill your duct.

 

[apwillard1986]

I tie a few shop rags to a length of rope and pull it through. Cheap and effective.