The single most important thing you can do to improve your clothes dryer’s efficiency is to make sure the dryer vent is working correctly.
- Every time the dryer is operated, you should clean the lint filter.
- Keep the vent pipe clean. If the dryer’s discharge pipe is restricted, its ability to remove moisture is restricted. It is a bit of a chore, but you can purchase brushes specifically designed to clean dryer vent pipes.
- The length of a vent is important. Here’s the formula: start out with a maximum of 35 feet from the dryer to the end of the vent. Then deduct 5 feet for each 90° angle in the vent pipe. So, if you have two 90° angles you deduct 10 feet leaving you with 25 feet maximum for the vent pipe. Then deduct 2 ½ feet for each 45° angle. The bottom line is, the shorter the better!
- Plastic dryer vents should be avoided because they are a fire hazard. Sheet metal vent pipes are the best and less prone to clogging. Try to avoid metal flex ducts because they clog up easily.
- Dryer vents are one of the most common sources of house fires. Lint is extremely flammable. Boy Scouts use lint to start camping fires!
Believe it or not, there are professional dryer vent service companies. It is not a bad idea to have a dryer vent company check it for proper installation, operation, and safety.
If you are interested, all our previous newsletters are available on our website blog. Click on the following link and it will take you right to it.
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