Maintaining your laundry dryer is the best way to protect your home from potential fire. Truthfully, excess lint can ignite with even the slightest spark. To give your dryer a tuneup, follow these simple steps toward a duct-cleaning system.
1. Lint Maintenance and Cleaning
First, remove the lint trap from the dryer. Before each load, removing any lint from the trap is preferable. Any trap buildup can hinder the dryer’s operations and lead to possible fire hazards. However, the dryer demands more maintenance than just lint removal.
Next, use your vacuum’s hose attachment to remove any lint from beneath or behind the trap, depending on your dryer’s model. Also, pull the dryer out from the wall to reveal the duct. This passageway connects the dryer’s exhaust to an outside vent. Disconnect the duct from the dryer and exterior vent.
Insert the vacuum hose into this detached duct and suck out any residue. If the system hasn’t been cleaned very often, then there will be considerable buildup. In addition, vacuum the duct’s connection points at the dryer and vent. After reassembling, the dryer may sound slightly different than before. Now, air can freely move throughout the dryer’s duct system to eliminate exhaust.
2. Ventilation and Duct Inspection
Along with your laundry dryer duct, your home has other ducts that require regular maintenance. For homes with central heating and air, these systems have ducts stretching out from an indoor furnace and out to multiple rooms. Although only air flows through these passageways, they can develop residue buildup over time.
As a solution, contact a duct-cleaning contractor annually. These professionals can inspect and clean your ducts. In addition, they can verify if there are any cracks or other issues with the system. After a thorough inspection and service, every duct can be wiped clean and properly connected to the central air system.
Overlooking ventilation and duct inspection can lead to dusty conditions in the home or a breakdown within the ducts themselves. Cracked or detached ducts lead to higher energy costs and excessive wear on the system.
3. Regular Appliance Maintenance
Contacting a dryer professional for an annual inspection is also an intelligent way to keep your appliance in good shape. For example, a professional might remove the dryer’s exterior paneling for cleaning around the drum. Although lint should enter the trap as designed, rogue pieces might slip through the appliance’s cracks.
Over time, these small pieces bunch up into big problems. The professionals can access these areas and reassemble your dryer afterward. Certainly, they can troubleshoot other items, such as the drying timer, for any concerns. Ultimately, your dryer can operate like it’s brand new after each professional service.
Also, regular appliance maintenance reduces the chance of an unexpected breakdown. These issues can be expensive to fix. Generally, preventative maintenance is more affordable than emergency repair.
Overall, give your dryer a good cleaning at least once a year. For dryers used more often than a standard household, consider monthly cleanings. In the end, this maintenance will protect your system and prolong its lifespan.
