Proper maintenance of your clothes dryer venting system is essential for safety, efficiency and appliance longevity. Thus, neglecting dryer vent care can lead to fire hazards, poor drying performance and costly repairs. Follow this checklist to keep your dryer venting in good working order:
After Every Drying Cycle
- Firstly, clean the lint trap – Remove trapped lint and debris from the screen filter basket after each use. Failure to do so causes most dryer vent problems.
Annually
- Vacuum interior vent ducts – Use a crevice tool attachment to remove lint buildup from inside exhaust hoses and duct piping that connects to the wall or roof cap.
- Clean the exterior vent cap – Also, remove any trapped leaves, nests or debris blocking proper airflow from the outside metal vent hood.
- Inspect and tighten vent duct connections – Check that all duct joints, clamps, screws and brackets are intact and secure with no gaps or tears in the duct material.
- Check and replace foil tape – Then, replace any cracked or missing foil tape used to seal duct joints to optimize airflow.
Every 2 – 3 Years
- Hire a professional to fully clean the vent system – A technician can snake a power vacuum hose through the entire exhaust vent to thoroughly remove even deeply embedded lint and fully inspect for damage.
- Replace foil tape – Professionals will then replace existing foil tape with fresh tape to re-seal all duct connections.
- Inspect and straighten crushed ducts – Over time, ducts can collapse due to negative pressure from the dryer. Technicians can straighten mildly crushed tubing to restore optimal airflow.
- Check interior dryer parts – Experts will inspect wheel bearings, rollers, belts and seals inside the dryer cabinet for wear or damage that could be causing performance issues.
Additional Regular Checks
- Change the dryer filter – Some dryers have a separate replaceable lint catch filter that should be swapped out yearly.
- Tighten drum screws – Loose screws holding the drum can cause vibration and noise. Retighten any loose fasteners yearly.
- Clean between dryer drum ridges – Use a vacuum attachment to remove accumulated debris from ridges inside the drum that prevent clothes from tumbling properly.
In conclusion, by following this routine dryer vent cleaning checklist, you can catch small problems before they become serious issues, extending the life of your dryer while reducing fire risks and improving performance. Make vent care as regular of a habit as doing laundry itself to keep your system running safely and efficiently for many years.
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