How to clean dryer vent

[ChiefGator]

In my current home the dryer vent is easy to see and to clean out. Moving to Florida means a concrete block home and with the dryer on an inside wall I understand the vent goes into the attic.

Any information that they board has related to how to make sure I don't have issues will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[AuggieDosta]

Clean it. Often.

Particles don't easily go...UP.

 

[NVGator]

Unhook your dryer from the vent. Hook up a blower, like what you use to blow off the driveway after mowing, and turn it loose. Let the blower clear out your line.

 

[GatorFL]

We have a guy who comes around and cleans it out every couple of years. It's about $75. Uses some flexible chimney sweet type brushes. Here's they guy's website, I think he's got a pretty nice little business going: Welcome to Lintman Dryer Vent Cleaning,llc

 

[g8r.tom]

Been in my house 22 years. Never cleaned it once.

 

[ChiefGator]

Thanks for the input, it seems like another task that will require a professional.

 

[AuggieDosta]

Been in my house 22 years. Never cleaned it once.

Then don't clean it now.

You think Ox's sewer-root is bad? Wait till you see what you've got on your hands.

Seriously, if you DO clean it, then your dryer will dry your clothes in only one cycle and that will save you money on your monthly electricity bill.

That plus, you won't die in a fiery ball one night.

 

[AuggieDosta]

Thanks for the input, it seems like another task that will require a professional.

Meh, if you have $12 and a power drill then you can easily do it yourself.

Buy this brush (anywhere / Amazon) and charge your drill battery.

Dryer Duct Cleaning Kit,Lint Remover Extends Up to 12 Feet Synthetic Brush Head for Dryer Pipe Boiler Chimney Brush:

 

[GatorFL]

Meh, if you have $12 and a power drill then you can easily do it yourself.

Buy this brush (anywhere / Amazon) and charge your drill battery.

Dryer Duct Cleaning Kit,Lint Remover Extends Up to 12 Feet Synthetic Brush Head for Dryer Pipe Boiler Chimney Brush:

This is pretty much what the guy I linked above uses.

 

[ChiefGator]

Meh, if you have $12 and a power drill then you can easily do it yourself.

Buy this brush (anywhere / Amazon) and charge your drill battery.

Dryer Duct Cleaning Kit,Lint Remover Extends Up to 12 Feet Synthetic Brush Head for Dryer Pipe Boiler Chimney Brush:

Thanks but it would be more than 12 feet, the dryer is not very easy to move, and I am not getting up on a roof. Now I plan to get one of those flexible vacuum attachments and use if every month.

I might also as the house inspector if he looked at this.

 

[AuggieDosta]

This is pretty much what the guy I linked above uses.

Really, the hardest part of the entire job is getting to the vent hole opening. Because once your jigsaw puzzle the dryer out of the way, you then freak out over the amount of lint and dust everywhere and then spend 5 more minutes standing there tapping your chin trying to figure out what best method to use to clean all that shyt out of there. I recommend a shop-vac and then wet mop.

 

[AuggieDosta]

Thanks but it would be more than 12 feet, the dryer is not very easy to move, and I am not getting up on a roof. Now I plan to get one of those flexible vacuum attachments and use if every month.

I might also as the house inspector if he looked at this.

Honestly, you don't need to go all the way out to the top of the roof with the brush. Because of gravity and the different atmospheric temperatures (hot & cold) constantly cycling your most likely going to see that the clump of lint is going to be in the first 4 feet due to it clinging to the dampness that comes from heating and then cooling.

But I would recommend using the entire length of the flexible brush wand just to be sure. Anything you knock loose higher than that will simply fall back down and you can suck it out w/a shop-vac.

Now, it is possible that some coagulation/grouping may accumulate near the exit, and is easily seen from the top, but I kinda doubt that's your issue. If you're not feeling safe about going up on the roof then that is understandable, but a good cleaning down below is easy to do and most needed, most likely.

 

[g8r.tom]

Then don't clean it now.

You think Ox's sewer-root is bad? Wait till you see what you've got on your hands.

Seriously, if you DO clean it, then your dryer will dry your clothes in only one cycle and that will save you money on your monthly electricity bill.

That plus, you won't die in a fiery ball one night.

They dry in one cycle now.

22 years. 4 people laundry. Heck, I haven't moved the dryer since I put it in 3/4 years ago. Some dustballs fell out then. Wasn't much material at all.

 

[AuggieDosta]

They dry in one cycle now.

22 years. 4 people laundry. Heck, I haven't moved the dryer since I put it in 3/4 years ago. Some dustballs fell out then. Wasn't much material at all.

I'm not going back through this entire thread to see if you've mentioned the style of vent exit you have, but if yours is short and straight to the exit then your situation would make sense.

However, if anybody's vent exit is fairly long (e.g. over 3 feet) and has any kind of a bend to it then the likelihood of acquiring dangerous lint clogs increases that will also reduce the dryer's efficiency.

 

[g8r.tom]

I'm not going back through this entire thread to see if you've mentioned the style of vent exit you have, but if yours is short and straight to the exit then your situation would make sense.

However, if anybody's vent exit is fairly long (e.g. over 3 feet) and has any kind of a bend to it then the likelihood of acquiring dangerous lint clogs increases that will also reduce the dryer's efficiency.

It goes from the dryer straight up to the attic. No bends. Probably goes up 8-9 foot.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

In my old house my clothes would not dry in one cycle so since the dryer was in the garage I simply took the aluminum foil hose of the vent and laid it pointing straight out. I would then raise the garage door up about a foot whenever I used the dryer.

Another alternative is like what we have done in the house we live in now. When the dryer vent clogged up we ran the vent right out through a wall to the outside....just make sure you have a critter guard on the vent opening outside.

 

[NVGator]

Thanks but it would be more than 12 feet, the dryer is not very easy to move, and I am not getting up on a roof. Now I plan to get one of those flexible vacuum attachments and use if every month.

I might also as the house inspector if he looked at this.

I already mentioned a cheap way to do the job. It works, trust me.

As for the Home Inspector, he would not have looked at your dryer vent.

 

[78]

Unhook your dryer from the vent. Hook up a blower, like what you use to blow off the driveway after mowing, and turn it loose. Let the blower clear out your line.

You forgot Step #2. Open all the windows to allow the gas fumes out.

 

[NVGator]

You forgot Step #2. Open all the windows to allow the gas fumes out.

You know they make electronic blowers as well.

 

[bradgator2]

Unhook your dryer from the vent. Hook up a blower, like what you use to blow off the driveway after mowing, and turn it loose. Let the blower clear out your line.

This is exactly how I do it. Have someone video tape the dryer exhaust.... because it will look like an artificial snow maker.