Dryer Vent Cleaning In Palm Beach
Dryer Vent Cleaning In West Palm Beach Can Keep Your House From Burning Down
According to reports from the U.S. Fire Administration, close to 3,000 home fires are usually started by clothes dryers, with the leading cause of these fires being a buildup of lint due to the absence of basic maintenance by the owner. Each bunch of laundry that goes through the washing machine and into the clothes dryer usually contains lint – often small particles of fiber and cloth which are typically loosened from the fabric as a result of the action of agitating water.
And if you have always assumed that the removable lint filter in the dryer traps all the lint, you need to rethink. A considerable amount of dust usually makes its way past the filter and gets caught in the crevices far deep in the lint filter trap as well as along the dryer vent duct as it extends to the outside opening. When these collections build up, they often result in restricted airflow and consequently overheating which could ignite the lint.
There are multiple warning signs regarding the presence of a dangerous lint buildup in the dryer and its venting system, indicating the need for a thorough cleaning. They include:
• Clothes do not dry fully or take more time to dry.
• Clothes end up feeling hotter than usual after the drying cycle.
• The outside part of the dryer gets hot.
• The outside exhaust flapper fails to open correctly, and this indicates a low exhaust velocity.
• Your laundry room gets more humid than usual.
• Some burnt smell can be felt in your laundry room.
Dryer Vent Cleaning Brushing Kit
Proper dryer vent cleaning needs special types of brushes. Vacuum attachments alone will not work well since they do not agitate the trapped lint to scrap it off the wall of the vent. Besides, vacuum attachments will not reach deep inside your dryer’s lint filter housing. Most of these brush kits usually come with long-bristle brushes that can help clean the lint filter area in addition to a round-bristled brush which helps clean out a four-inch round dryer duct. In most cases, the round brush tip could be fastened to a flexible fiberglass shaft whose length can be extended in sections.
The Dryer Vent Cleaning Process
1. Start By Removing the Lint Trap Filter
When it comes to dryer vent cleaning, you will first need to remove and clean the lint filter. This is precisely what you need to do after or before every dryer load to prevent lint from building up in the venting system. However, many people often ignore this part. Regular cleaning of the lint trap after every load is the easiest way to prevent the buildup of lint.
2. Vacuuming the Lint Trap Housing
You now need to vacuum the lint trap’s inner housing using a long, skinny pipe attachment. Follow initial vacuuming with an alternative pass, while using the flexible brush from the brushing kit. Extend your brush all the way to the cavity’s bottom, and with slight, gentle twisting motion, pull out your brush to extract the lint. You should repeat this process until there is no more lint to be removed from the cavity.
3. Disconnect the Dryer Vent
Unplug your dryer’s power cord or turn off the dryer’s gas valve depending on the type of system you have. Now disconnect the duct joint that is nearest to the dryer and slowly pull your dryer away from the wall. You should not forget also to disconnect the remaining exposed parts of the dryer duct. If these parts are taped, you need to remove and discard this tape.
4. Vacuum the Duct Work
Attach your round-duct brush head to the end of a flexible fiberglass shaft according to the manufacturer’s directions. Insert your brush in every duct section and sweep it clean with a rotating motion while moving your duct brush back and forth. If there was a massive lint buildup, you need to pull out your brush and clean its head frequently. Clean the remaining section of the vent run with the same techniques while adding some extra sections of the flexible shaft as required to get to the end of the rigid dryer duct. Repeat this process until there is no more lint coming out of the conduit.
5. The Alternative Brush Method
If you do not own a dryer vent kit, then you could use a long-handled scrub brush to aid in cleaning short portions of the dryer’s vent. While this brush will have a limited reach, you could clean every duct section by doing it through both ends.
6. Reattach or Replace the Ductwork
Once all the cleaning is done, you will need to reassemble or replace your dryer’s duct sections with the following aspects in mind:
• It is advisable that you use a rigid, adjustable, 90-degree elbow right at the end of the dryer’s exhaust. A flexible duct could kink when you push the dryer in place, resulting in a considerable obstruction to the exhaust flow.
• A small section of flexible metal transition duct is allowed between the rigid pipe and the dryer elbow in the wall as long as the transition duct has been listed for this use and permitted under all local building codes. You should not use any unlisted vinyl flexible duct or metal transition duct.
• All the concealed ducting (those hidden inside floors or walls) should be made of round, rigid metal duct. Any flexible duct that is not exposed should be replaced with a rigid metal duct.
• Seal the permanent duct sections with a UL-listed metal foil duct tape. People are always advised against using regular plastic duct tape because it dries out and could fail over time.
Once you have ascertained that every aspect of your ductwork is in proper shape, you can plug in the dryer or turn on the gas valve (for a gas dryer). Push your dryer into its standard position ensuring that it is not deforming or kinking your ductwork. You also need to ensure that the lint screen is in its right place. Now you can run your dryer and ensure it’s venting completely. Here’s a handy do it yourself guide or you can simply call us at 561-689-8885 or visit us here for more information! We are reasonably priced and will make sure it is done properly!
