The front-loading dryer lint screen is inside the door. The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that more than 15,000 structure fires in the United States are caused by clothes dryers. You can substantially reduce the chance of a dryer fire with simple lint screen and vent duct maintenance. Clothes dryer manufacturers recommend that you clean out your lint screen vent between dryer loads and inspect your dryer vent ducts weekly for clogged lines. Front loader dryers often display a warning signal when the lint screen needs changing. If your front loader dryer vent is clean of lint but the console displays a check filter warning, the vent duct line is clogged. Locate the lint screen on the dryer; they are usually inside the dryer door at the base of the opening. Pull the tab on the screen to lift the filter straight up out of the dryer. Scoop the lint from the filter and discard. If the screen filter feels waxy or sticky, wash the screen in warm soapy water and dry thoroughly. The waxy buildup is formed from fabric softener sheets.

If you regularly use these sheets, wash the lint screen periodically. Replace the lint screen filter. best vacuum cleaner for automobileLocate the exterior exhaust hood to the dryer, if possible. best lightweight carpet vacuum cleanerThe exhaust hood is usually on an exterior wall opposite the dryer. best value for canister vacuum cleanersUnscrew the exterior exhaust hood from the house siding. best cordless car vacuum cleaner 2012Inspect the opening with the flashlight for any insects or pests. best way to clean leather car upholstery

Scoop out any lint from the exhaust hood and set it aside. Unplug the dryer from the power source. best mop to wash hardwood floorsPull the dryer away from the wall. Unscrew the clamp that holds the dryer vent hose to the exhaust duct in the wall. Gently pull the hose from the duct and set it down. Remove the lint screen filter from the front of the dryer. Insert the nylon dryer vent brush into the filter cavity and through the internal vent hose inside the dryer unit. This action will push the lint through the internal portion of the hose and expel lint out of the other end that you had detached from the vent pipe. Dispose of the lint. Insert the vent brush into the vent pipe in the wall. Push the lint through the duct until it is expelled outside through the exhaust hood opening. For very long runs of ducting, connect the nylon brush to an extension rod for straight runs of ducting or an extension cable for curved ducting.

Replace the vent hose to the vent duct with the clamp. Push the dryer back into place and plug in the dryer. Replace the exterior exhaust hood and screw it into place. Things You Will Need Warm, soapy water Flashlight Screwdriver Flexible nylon vent brush Extension rod or cable Tips Warnings References U.S. Fire Administration: Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings Photo Credits Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionDryer BoxDryer DryerPipe DryerDryer DuctDryer HosesDryer Vent HosePaquette HouseDryer CloserWall EliminatesForwardDryerbox - Collecting the Vent Hose Neatly in the Wall eliminates having to leave space behind the dryer for the hose....you can push the back of the dryer right up to the wall! Dryer vents are often an overlooked maintenance item in the home. Not only can this be a fire hazard but in many cases, proper cleaning of the dryer vent will instantly improve the performance and efficiency of the dryer. Consumers Reports notes that “every year $80 million in property damage is caused by clothes dryer fires, many of which are ignited by lint build-up in or around the machine.”

(Consumer News, March 21, 2013). We use a combination of high compressed air and extraction tools to remove fire hazardous lint & debris from the dryer vent. Many times birds will nest in the vents and block the air flow necessary to dry the contents of the dryer. The clothes dryer is taking a long time to dry heavy items such as towels or jeans or if they are still damp at the end of the cycle The outside vent opening has lint and debris visible The dryer venting is long or has a complex construction It has been more than 2 to 3 years since it was last cleaned Call us to properly clean your dryer vent. We use various tools based on the design of your system. Some tools used are large, high powered truck mounted air compressors, compressed air nozzles, brush systems, and high-powered vacuums. We clean the entire length of the duct from the dryer vent transition inside to the termination outside. Many cleanings can be done from the outside, but some do require access to the dryer and transition duct inside your building or house.

Helps the dryer run more efficiently which saves energy Prolongs the life of the dryer Residential services we offer: Commercial services we offer: Call Duct Works at 616-717-2144 for a FREE over-the-phone estimate. Web Design by Jemco LogicsSpeak to our friendly customer services team, tollfree on (888) 813-9559. Or (512)-333-4521 for international customers. How to Prevent Clothes Dryer Fires Very few people realize the danger of clothes dryer fires. However, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are an estimated annual 15,500 fires, 10 deaths and 10 injuries due to clothes dryer fires. Several hundred people a year are also subjected to carbon monoxide poisoning from improper dryer vent setups. The financial costs come to nearly $100,000,000 per year. In some cases faulty appliances are to blame, but many fires can be prevented with proper dryer venting.  How Clothes Dryer Fires OccursLint accumulation and reduced airflow feed on each other to provide conditions ripe for a fire.

Lint is a highly combustible material, which, interestingly enough, is one of the ingredients in a recipe for home-made fire starters. A number of dryer vent problems contribute to this.A growing problemTraditionally, most clothes dryers were in the basement. However, nowadays many newer homes tend to have dryers located away from an outside wall in bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and hall closets. These new locations mean dryers tend to be vented longer distances and vents are generally installed with sharp turns and bends to accommodate the structure of the home. As a result, dryer vents are harder to reach, and also create more places for lint to gather. The ideal solution is to have short, straight, dryer duct venting. However, a dryer vent booster, while not the ideal approach, can improve your dryer venting in cases where your venting is longer and/or has more bends than it should. In addition to creating a fire hazard, if the venting is too long and/or has two many bends, it will cause your dryer to take much longer than necessary to dry loads.

Inside the DryerLint is the biggest culprit here. As you know from cleaning out your lint filter, dryers produce very large quantities of lint. Most people assume their lint traps catch all the lint, and that all they need to do is clean them out after each load. However, a significant amount of this lint is not caught by the lint trap and builds up inside the dryer-even on the heating element! If you are skeptical, try this experiment: pull out the lint trap and look underneath it- you may find large mounds of lint staring at you. Lint can build up on the heating element and in other places inside the dryer, causing it to overheat and possibly catch fire. As a rule, a fire starts from a spark in the machine. However, improper clothes dryer venting practices outside the dryer can play a key role in this process.Outside the DryerThere are many improper dryer vent practices which restrict airflow and lead to lint buildup, the two main preventable causes of clothes dryer fires.  Some of the most common and important dryer vent mistakes are:Dryer vents are too long and/or have too many bends, but don’t use a dryer duct booster, resulting in lint buildup.

When it comes to dryer vents, shorter and straighter is better.Use of flammable, flimsy plastic or foil duct extenders. Only metal vents should be used, which is what most manufacturers specify. Metal vents also resist crushing better than plastic and foil, which allows the air and lint to be carried out of the system. Reduced airflow from build-up or crushing can cause overheating and wear out the clothes and appliance faster. In fact, many state and local municipalities have placed requirements on new and remodeling projects to include all metal dryer venting.Inadequate clearance space between dryer and wall. Many people create problems by putting their dryer right against the wall, crushing the venting material in the process. The cumulative effect of reduced airflow and the resulting lint build-up prevent the dryer from drying at the normal rate. This causes the high temperature limit safety switch to cycle on and off to control the heater. Most high temperature limit safety switches were not designed to continuously cycle on and off, so they fail over a period of time.

Failure to clean the dryer duct.Your Dryer May be Failing If:The clothes are taking an inordinately long period of time to dry, come out hotter than usual or if the vent hood flapper doesn’t open. Maintenance is needed in these cases.Only You Can Prevent Clothes Dryer FiresProper Installation & Choice of Building MaterialsMake sure the dryer duct is made of solid metallic material. Both vinyl and foil are combustible and spiral-wound surfaces tend to catch lint more readily.The dryer duct should vent to the exterior and in no case should it vent to the attic or crawlspace. Avoid the use of inside heat recovery diverter valves or termination boxes, which do not comply with current standards.Avoid kinking or crushing the dryer duct to make up for installation in tight quarters -this further restricts airflow. If you really want to save the extra space, the Dryerbox is a new invention that allows the dryer to be safely installed against the wall.Minimize the length of the exhaust duct (maximum recommended lengths depend on a number of factors, such as number of bends, and vary by model-check with your manufacturer for their specifications).

If this is not possible, you can install a dryer duct booster.If at all possible, use 4-inch diameter vent pipe and exterior exhaust hoods that have openings of sixteen square inches or more, which offer the least resistance to air flow.Don’t use screws to put your vent pipe together – the screw shafts inside the piping collect lint and cause additional friction.Keep the Dryer Duct in Good ConditionDisconnect, clean and inspect the dryer duct run on a regular basis, or hire a professional company to clean the dryer duct. This will reduce the fire hazard, increase the dryer’s efficiency and increase its lifespan. In addition, you are less likely to experience water damage.Keep Your Dryer as Lint-Free as PossibleBy keeping your dryer clean, not only will you significantly reduce the fire hazard, you will also save money as your dryer will run more efficiently and last longer. To keep your dryer clean:Use a lint brush or vacuum attachment to remove accumulated lint from under the lint trap and other accessible places on a periodic basis.