How do I know that my clothes dryer vent needs to be cleaned?
Well, if your clothes take longer than 30 minutes to dry for a normal load, and your clothes dryer gets warm (or hot) to the touch while it is running...It's your dryer vent that is probably clogged and needs to be un-clogged.
If you are a do-it-yourself-er, you can complete this task on your own. The tools that you will need can be bought specifically for the job, or you can use what you have around the house.
Why should my dryer vent be cleaned?
There are several great reasons:
1. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that in 2000, there were 12,700 clothes dryer fires resulting in $99,400,000 in damages, 330 injuries, and 20 lives lost.
2. Save on your utility bill
3. Replace your clothes dryer less often.
4. Create more time to spend on activities other that tending the laundry.
I clean out the lint screen every time I dry clothes. Why isn't that enough?
The screen is the interior filter for lint. The back of the dryer has a flexible hose which leads into a longer vent which many times terminates through the roof or a wall that is several feet away from the back of the dryer. This is the dryer vent that we are referring to. This vent can collect lint and become constricted and clogged which reduces the efficiency of the clothes dryer.
How often should my dry vent be cleaned?
It all depends on the following:
1. How many loads of laundry does the dryer handle?
2. What kind of laundry is washed: lots of lint-producing items, such as diapers or towels?
3. How many elbows are there?
4. How long is the venting?
The best way to determine the cleaning status is to monitor the drying time of typical laundry loads. When the loads take over 30-45 minutes to dry, it's time to clean out the vent.
My vent did not need to be cleaned for over 10 years, I had it cleaned less than a year ago, and now my clothes are taking longer to dry. Why is this?
When a dryer vent pipe is first installed, the insides are new and slick. Over time, the inside of the vent pipe is corroded with the moisture from the venting. When the lint is cleaned away, the inside of the pipe remains corroded which allows the lint to collect more quickly.
My dryer vents into my attic or garage. Is that OK?
Most building codes do not allow for your clother dryer vent to terminate any where other that the exterior of the structure. Vent termination in an attic or garage is not acceptable and should be corrected as soon as possible.
Is there a way for me to learn how to clean my dryer vent?
Yes. There is a manual that you can download today that walks you through the process in a step-by-step, easy to understand method.
The manual covers the most frequent dryer exhaust systems, as well as some of the more unusual.
Who wrote this manual and what are her credentials?
The manual was written by Alisa LeSueur, a Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician (CDET). Alisa cleaned her first dryer vent in 1998 when she owned "All Texas Top Hatters" which was an air duct cleaning and chimney sweep service headquartered in San Antonio, TX. She has since decided to focus on the dryer exhaust cleaning service exclusively and has started the "Dryer Exhaust System Service Professionals International" organization (DESSPI), which teaches professionals from around the world how to properly clean and service clothes dryer vents for home owners and business owners who require this service.
The Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician program is a national certification and is awarded by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) as part of their venting professionals' training responsibility. Alisa has had her CDET since the program was first offered. Her national certification badge number is 14.
How do I get this manual?
You can order it from our products page. Click here.
Is there a way for me to SEE how to clean my own dryer vent?
Yes. There is a video in production that shows you step-by-step how to clean out your dryer vent. There are examples of homes with dryer vents that terminate out the side wall and through the roof. Simple repairs are shown as well. Also included is the manual that shows hidden details.
Sign up now to receive the notice that the DVD is ready! VHS will also be available.
Who is the video showing and what are her credentials?
The video shows Alisa LeSueur, a Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician (CDET), performing the work. The Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician is a national certification is awarded by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) as part of their venting professionals training responsibility. Alisa has had her CDET since the program was first offered. Her national certification badge number is 14.
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