Clothes dryers need to intake air from the inside of your home and exhaust heat and moisture to the outside in order to dry clothes. Dirty lint trays and clogged dryer vents cost consumers millions each year. Statistics state that there are over 15,000 dryer fires each year causing 15 deaths and $99 million in property damage. Failure to clean is cited as the main cause of fires. Add to these losses the energy costs of running the dryer over and over for the same load. A dirty dryer vent can add $10-$25 to your energy bill each month. By following a few simple steps, you can make your dryer safer and more efficient saving you time and money.
1. Do not overload the dryer-check your operations manual for the optimum load size to dry at one time. Most clothes should dry within one dryer cycle. If your clothes are taking more than a cycle to dry, you probably have a vent problem. (See step six if you don’t want to disconnect the dryer) To verify that the vent is the problem, disconnect the transition vent at back of your dryer and dry a load of clothes. You can put a sock over the opening to keep from blowing lint into your laundry room. If they dry faster, you have a vent problem. Note this is just a test and building codes say your dryer should vent to the outside. It is not recommended that you use your dryer without it being connected to the outside except for the test cycle. A professional can help you with cleaning your vent.
2. Clean the lint filter after every load and before doing the next to ensure the lint filter is always clean.
3. Remove the lint filter and clean the inside of the lint tray with a crevice tool or other attachment often. Then take a small brush and clean the lint filter with soap and water to clear any accumulated residue.
4. If your laundry room has a solid door, do not close it while you are drying clothes–your dryer needs air in order to function properly. Try drying two loads of about the same size–one with the door open and one with it closed. If your clothes dry faster with the door open, there is not enough air exchange in your laundry room with the door closed. If you need to close your door while doing laundry, change to a louvred door or some other means for air to enter your laundry.
5. Look at the back of your dryer-there should be a safety warning decal that states, “Use only metal venting-no plastic or foil venting should be used” Make sure your transition vent is not plastic or aluminum foil–if it is, replace it yourself or have a professional install a metal transition vent for you.
6. A simple test to see if you dryer is exhausting is to place a 2″ X 2″ piece of paper in the empty tub. Run the dryer for a minute and then open the door, if the paper has been sucked to the holes in the back side of the drum, there is air flow. If the paper is lying at the bottom of the drum, there is no air flow. If there is no air flow and you have a flexible transition vent from the dryer to the vent in the wall, make sure your dryer is not pushed so far back that it is crushing the flexible vent. If it is, pull the dryer away from the wall and repeat the test.
7. Turn on the dryer and go outside to the vent opening-ensure that warm air is exhausting fairly rapidly from the vent. The flap should open when the dryer is running and close freely and completely when it is off. Building codes say that screens cannot be used over the opening because they trap lint creating a fire hazard. If your vent has a screen over it, remove it.
8. Inspect your dryer vent in your attic or crawl space to ensure it is made of metal-foil and plastic vents should be replaced. If you should try to replace it yourself, consult your dryer manual and follow the guidelines. Otherwise, call a professional to replace your vent.
9. If you find your dryer vent is not venting properly, either clean it yourself or have it professionally cleaned. The Appliance Manufacturers Association recommends cleaning your dryer vent every one to two years. If you want to do something green, have your dryer vent cleaned.
10. Never leave your home or go to bed with the dryer running!
