Hi folks, it’s Eric with Altamaha Home Inspections with another Healthy Home Tip to help you keep your home safe and operating efficiently.
Today I want to talk about a major appliance in our homes that we rely on everyday – our clothes dryer. Has your dryer been operating less efficiently lately sometimes taking longer to dry clothes than it used to?
Does it sometimes take more than one cycle to completely dry a load of clothes? Does your “high-tech” dryer flash error codes on its display sometimes resembling gang signs or an alien language? Are you at your wits end with this machine and ready to just end it all?
Well before you go to that extreme, allow me to make a suggestion. Your dryer requires an unobstructed vent path in order to operated efficiently. Although you may never forget to clean out your lint trap after every use, a small amount of lint still gets past this trap and ends up in your vent pipe. This builds up over time and needs to be cleaned out. But don’t worry this is a simple task.
First, purchase a flexible dryer duct cleaning kit from your hardware store or online for around $25 -$30. Once you have this, find where your dry duct exhausts and remove the protective cover. This is usually a couple of screws or clips. Turn your dryer on to help discharge loosened lint and slowly work your cleaning brush up the duct twisting and turning as you go. You can even add your portable drill on the end for extra cleaning power, but it’s not really necessary.
Knowing the length of your duct is helpful, but as long as you proceed carefully and don’t get your brush stuck – this should clean your duct and help your dryer live to dry another day. This dryer duct I cleaned recently had a solid obstruction that was completely blocking the duct. Luckily it cleared and now the duct looks like this. Don’t forget to put your cover back on when you are done. Also, dryer ducts should not be discharging into attics or crawlspaces because of the moisture buildup that could cause mold.
If you have questions about your dryer’s installation and ducting or need a home inspection, give us a call today or visit our webpage to schedule an inspection. Thanks for watching!
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