How To: Clean a Dryer Vent A dryer vent that's clogged with lint can reduce the appliance's efficiency and could be a potential fire hazard. Here’s how to get your vent clean—and keep it that way. If you’ve recently noticed that your clothes are taking longer to dry than they used to, you may need to look no further than your dryer vent for the cause. A vent that’s clogged with lint can make for a longer drying cycle, but it can also trigger a much more serious problem—a dryer fire. In fact, clogged dryer vents are one of the top causes of dryer fires. And, although this is a much less dramatic concern, an inefficient dryer can also cost you both time and money, tacking on as much as $20 a month to your utility bill. Sure, you could hire a professional to clear out the vent for you, but this is a job that you can do yourself. Read on to learn how to get your dryer vent clean—and keep it that way. The first and most important step is to unplug the dryer. You don’t want to do any work on the vent while the appliance is plugged into the wall.

Pull the dryer out from the wall as far as your vent hose will allow (typically, about one to two feet), then use a screwdriver to loosen and unscrew the clamps that keep the dryer vent hose attached to the wall. Remove the vent hose and use the crevice attachment of your vacuum cleaner to reach into the hole on the back of the dryer and suction out the lint. leather cleaner for a purseProceed to vacuum out the hose as well, working from both ends of the hose until all the lint and debris have been suctioned out. best handheld vacuum cleaner stairsBe gentle—you don’t want to damage the hose. air duct cleaning equipment chinaIf you encounter serious buildup in the middle of the hose, you may need to snake it out.

A wire hanger works fine for this, but be careful not to scratch the sides with the wire, which could cause a leak in the hose. Reinsert the vent hose and reattach it with the clamps, then slide the dryer back into position against the wall. Once the dryer’s in place, head outside to clean the exterior vent. Start by removing the cover, then put on some work gloves and clear out any accumulated lint. When the vent looks clear, go back inside the house, plug the dryer back in, and run the empty machine on the air-dry setting for about 20 minutes. Check outside to make sure that both air and any remaining lint are blowing out of the vent before turning off the dryer and replacing the outside vent cover. It’s important to clean your dryer vent at least once a year. If the buildup is so great that you can’t break through the lint, hire a professional or invest in a dryer vent cleaning kit. A thorough yearly cleaning isn’t quite enough, however. It takes regular maintenance to help keep your dryer vent clear and safe.

• Limit the number of dryer sheets you use. Fabric softeners and dryer sheets can clog your dryer’s lint filter and leave behind small amounts of potentially flammable chemicals that can accumulate over time. • Hang heavy bedding outside to dry. Duvets, bedspreads, and other heavy linens require much more heat and drying time than the average load, and this translates into more lint. • Clean the lint trap after every use. You can usually remove the lint with your hands, but from time to time you should rinse off the screen and vacuum out the compartment that holds it. Remember: If the lint trap is full, the lint has nowhere to go but onto your clothes or out into the vent!Your browser is out of date. For the correct work of a site, install the new version.Call us Today for a Free over-the-phone Duct Cleaning EstimateHow does Air Duct Cleaning work?First, we start by running a vacuum hose from our truck mounted power vac system directly to your home or commercial building’s furnace.

In doing this we essentially turn your entire HVAC duct-work into a vacuum. We then go around to each and every one of your vents and return air registers with an internal duct cleaning device. This device uses brushes to loosen anything that may be stuck to the walls of your air ducts. All of these contaminants are then pulled directly out of your house and into our truck mounted vacuum so that no dust or dirt is left in your system. This is the best and cleanest way to service your home’s ducts.According to NADCA, the average six-room house amasses 40lbs of dirt, dust and allergens in its air ducts per year. When you consider that 40,000 dust mites can flourish in just one ounce of dust, you have a problem. Those little dust “bunnies” have an array of harmful bacteria, fungi and mold. The EPA estimates indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. That polluted air permeates your house every time the heating or cooling system runs.More Efficient and Better Air QualityYou’re wasting money too.

The accumulation of dirt and debris impedes air flow throughout the ventilation system. That means your system tries harder and costs more to operate. Over time, the problem only gets worse. Solve your issues with a quality cleaning from the NADCA certified professionals at Willard Duct Cleaning.It’s also important to know that many companies only clean the air ducts. Not Willard Power Vac. We clean the complete system. This includes the HVAC unit, blower, evaporator coil, and individual ducts. We remove the vent covers, clean them, and then put them back in place. We clean every part of your HVAC system.Most homeowners do not even bother thinking about the condition of their air ducts until something drastic happens. In fact, most homeowners are not even aware of the health risks that are related to dirty air ducts. However, like any other appliance in the house, air ducts need to be cleaned on a regular basis in order to insure optimal indoor air quality. What many people don’t realize is that the vast majority of air duct filters only filter out a small percentage of air pollutants.

Dust, smog, and other forms of pollution accumulate within the air ducts and are picked up by gusts of air and transported throughout the house. In fact, the indoor air quality in some houses is much worse than the air quality outside! In worst scenarios, small animals such as squirrels find their way into air ducts and are trapped; the carcasses often create a terrible stench that fills up the entire house.But cleaning an air duct without prior experience and specific Portland air duct cleaning tools can be incredibly difficult and time consuming. Not to mention the fact that quick cleaning jobs are often not enough to remove all the dirt that has accumulated in the air ducts over the past few years. Powerful tools are required to properly clean air ducts. It is imperative that you hire a professional company to clean the ducts.Willard Power VAC is a company which specializes in a wide variety of indoor air duct cleaning services. Willard was founded in 1975 and at the time the company only had two official employees but it has been steadily growing and now it is one of the best duct cleaning companies in Portland.There are several different reasons why people choose us for their cleaning needs.