Your dryer vent needs to be cleaned on a regular basis to ensure the overall safety of your dryer and avoiding potential fires and other hazards that can damage your home.
Here are the top mistakes people make and ones that you should avoid…
Using the Wrong Equipment to Clean
Use a removal device that attaches to the end of your vacuum cleaner and allows lint to come up quickly and easily.
Tiny dryer lint fibers can get stuck within the duct and are difficult to remove without the right device.
Unplug the Dryer and be Safe
It’s easy to forget about unplugging your dryer prior to attempting a cleaning. This is a valuable first step to ensure safety while cleaning your device.
For electric devices simply remove the power cord from the wall. For a gas-powered device you’ll have to turn off the gas supply to prevent dangerous leaks.
Overly Bending the Duct
Ducts bend way too easily. When maneuvering them, please proceed with caution. Significant bends in the tube will create areas where dust can quickly accumulate.
Clean Moisture Sensors
Although they are not directly related to your dryer vent, if your machine has moisture sensors, you should make sure those are cleaned as well.
Vent Routing
Lint accumulation in your dryer vent is flammable, so it needs to be going outdoors. You should never route your dryer vents up into the attic or crawlspaces.
If you want to reroute your dryer vent, hire a professional to do it. Don’t do it yourself.
Reattachment with Duct Tape
Using duct tape is never a good idea when it comes to your dryer vent. It can corrode extremely easily from the heat of your dryer. This can obviously lead to really bad things, like a house fire.
