Tips For Keeping Your Dryer Vent Clean
Do you clean the lint filter in your dryer after each time you use it? If so, you may still have a lot of lint that ends up stuck in the dryer vent going out of your home. This is not good since that lint can catch on fire and be a huge hazard to the safety of your home. Here are some tips for cleaning that dryer vent on your own.
Disconnect Your Dryer
The first thing you need to do is disconnect your dryer. For the electricity, all you really need to do is unplug it from the nearby outlet. However, you should also shut off the gas going to the dryer as well so that gas doesn't accidentally ignite. There should be a gas shut-off valve somewhere near the point where the gas line branches off and goes to your dryer, and you simply need to turn the handle so that it is perpendicular with the gas pipe.
Disconnect The Ductwork
You should disconnect the flexible ductwork from the back of your dryer since a lot of the collected lint is likely right by that connection point. The ductwork should be clamped in a way that needs to be undone with a screwdriver. Simply unscrew the clamp to loosen it, and then pull the vent away from the dryer to see what is inside. You should also disconnect the ductwork from the vent going outside your home. Sometimes the hood needs to be removed on the outside of your home to gain full access to the ductwork as well.
Remove The Lint
You can shake all of the lint inside the ductwork into a bag to collect it all. However, there is likely a lot of lint still stuck inside the dryer as well. This lint can be sucked out using a shop vacuum if you have one.
Replace The Ductwork If Necessary
Now that the ductwork is removed, you should check the flexible tube for damage. It is very easy to replace right now since it is disconnected, and replacement flexible ductwork is very cheap. However, if you had a lot of lint stuck within the ductwork, you may want to replace it with metal tube-style ductwork. The smooth edges of the tube are going to make it harder for lint to be stuck inside the ductwork and cause a clog.
Reach out to a professional who provides residential dryer vent cleaning for more help.