Dryer Vent Cleaning
- Thread starter maverickfhs
- Start date
Should be fairly easy in most houses. Remove the duct from the dryer and the wall and make sure it's clear all the way through. If the duct is too long, you could consider trimming it a bit. Inspect the exit pipe in the back of the dryer to make sure no debris has accumulated where the duct attaches. Inspect the vent in the wall to make sure it's not clogged. If you can see daylight or some reflected outside light through it, that's a good sign.
For most dryers the lint filter catches most of the lint, so the average person who cleans the filter regularly shouldn't have much of anything in the duct or vent. Still, it's good to check. The filter does eventually rust and fail in many dryer models, so replace it ASAP if you see it's damaged.
Inspecting/cleaning should be a quick job.
For most dryers the lint filter catches most of the lint, so the average person who cleans the filter regularly shouldn't have much of anything in the duct or vent. Still, it's good to check. The filter does eventually rust and fail in many dryer models, so replace it ASAP if you see it's damaged.
Inspecting/cleaning should be a quick job.
I think it all depends. How long, how many elbows, flex or just galv steel sections. If its not metal replace. Can you disconnect both ends and go at it both ways? Don't forget any shutters on the vent outdoors.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
How long is the duct to outside. That's the tricky part. My dryer is in the basement and exhausts right outside, so the duct is the width of the wall. I plan to inspect the three year-old hose again here soon, and might just replace it if it's even close to clogged.
My FIL's dryer is in a closet near the kitchen, around 15' from the front door. His duct goes down beneath the floor and exits beneath the front deck. Now THAT is likely a pain to clean.
My FIL's dryer is in a closet near the kitchen, around 15' from the front door. His duct goes down beneath the floor and exits beneath the front deck. Now THAT is likely a pain to clean.
After using this cleaning brush, can I use leaf blower at slow speed to blow the duct to outside wall, I think it is about 10-15ft long?
If you use the brush attachment for a drill, no need to blow additional air through it...the brush will clean it out very effectively by pushing/pulling all the lint out both sides of the vent.
A dryer is more efficient when you hard pipe the vent.
Why is your link on SharePoint????Looking at cleaning a dryer duct/vent. Any tips or advise?
Planning to get this: Amazon or should I get something in higher length?
Appreciate any other help too
My dryer is on a hard metal pipe like duct lines use. I added a catch screen to catch extra lint.
I would take it all apart if you can to clean it. That will tell you how much lint is in the vent pipe.
You don't want a dryer fire.
Oh man you've given me a Tim Allen idea!
Do this as well .
That Brush should work good for cleaning the venting pipe.
Vent Pipe can not be plastic (was banned) or thin foil / you want rigid or semi-rigid metal.
If possible, you should also clean inside the Dryer.
My Dryer the front comes off, other Dryers it may be the back (tougher to remove).
Clean the Blower Fan-blades and all air-ways inside the Dryer.
Find your Owners Manual and see what it recommends.
I replaced the drums Belt on my Uncles dryer 2 years ago.
His motor, wiring & connectors and ALL components were covered with 1/4 inch of lint.
I used a paint brush & vacuum. It probably was never done and cleaned up very well.
Vent Pipe can not be plastic (was banned) or thin foil / you want rigid or semi-rigid metal.
If possible, you should also clean inside the Dryer.
My Dryer the front comes off, other Dryers it may be the back (tougher to remove).
Clean the Blower Fan-blades and all air-ways inside the Dryer.
Find your Owners Manual and see what it recommends.
I replaced the drums Belt on my Uncles dryer 2 years ago.
His motor, wiring & connectors and ALL components were covered with 1/4 inch of lint.
I used a paint brush & vacuum. It probably was never done and cleaned up very well.
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Looking at cleaning a dryer duct/vent. Any tips or advise?
Planning to get this: Amazon or should I get something in higher length?
Appreciate any other help too
I use one of these in the spring and fall. I have a wire fish as well. Our dryer pipe runs about 25 feet out the back of our house. I feed the wire fish through the pipe then duct tape the wire fish to the plastic cord and agitate it back and forth as I pull it out. I then blow some compressed air down the pipe and run the dryer for a while with the outside wall cover removed.
Just my $0.02
A shop vac really helps too. A few years back I was taking a CE class at unified fire investigations (think arson and cause investigators for insurance) they showed a film of a controlled fire caused by lint in a dryer, the fire was extremely hot and burned extremely fast (like a minute). Check your dryer vent ducts every 6 months, or more often if you have pets. The speed at which these fire start and propagate is unbelievable.
I had a dryer fire a few years back. Good thing it happened while I was there and caught it right away. The lint built up inside the belly of the beast, caught fire (gas dryer) and burned with a god-awful smell that ruined the clothes in the dryer. Mine had the layer as you describe.
Obviously I shut off the dryer, and took the clothes out. I then pulled the bottom panel off (2ea 1/4 inch screws) and there was still a line of fire inside. It looked like the leading edge of a grass fire, with everything behind being fully consumed, and everything ahead untouched. Very neat looking, and not all that easy to put out.
Just cleaned the dryer last week, same thing, a layer of lint everywhere.
You guys must be using your dryers a lot. I'm just a single guy, so I'm used to drying 2 or at most 3 full loads per week. I know some people who do that many loads every day. It's clear why you would want to worry about lint buildup.
But then you should ask the question, how much dryer use is really necessary? My brother's ex-wife chose to wear the same few outfits all the time and washed and dried them every day. That's a lot of water and energy use for convenience. Just something to think about. That heavy use leads to lint problems.
But then you should ask the question, how much dryer use is really necessary? My brother's ex-wife chose to wear the same few outfits all the time and washed and dried them every day. That's a lot of water and energy use for convenience. Just something to think about. That heavy use leads to lint problems.
I have that bush and extensions. My technique is to run the extensions from outside to the inside of the house. I attach the brush inside the house and pull it to the outside while spinning it with a cordless drill. I do this 2 to 3 times.Looking at cleaning a dryer duct/vent. Any tips or advise?
Planning to get this: Amazon or should I get something in higher length?
Appreciate any other help too
No need for a leaf blower. Here is the method that I have used with great success and works well IF you have a rigid straight pipe under the house.
- Clean the dryer outlet and flex that connects to the dryer and reattach to dryer
- Remove the louvers on the outside and assemble the vent brush
- Set the empty dryer to NO heat and start
- Go outside and spin the brush through the rigid pipe
- Stand to the side and be prepared to get dirty
All good reasons why we never leave the house with the dryer running. My vent dumps directly through the wall, the pipe is only about 10 inches long so I can clean mine from the outside. I pull the top cover and vac around the drum and burner every couple of years.
