How to Increase Clothes Dryer Effectiveness

Increase your dryer's efficiency by keeping the exhaust clear of lint.

The best way to increase your clothes dryers' effectiveness is to keep the exhaust duct work free of lint. Most dryer difficulties are a direct result of lint debris clogging the dryer vent duct work. By regularly cleaning your dryer vent ducts, you will keep your clothes dryer running at optimal efficiency. It is not difficult to clean your dryer ducts and will only take you a few minutes.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Lint brush
• Vacuum

Instructions

1. Unplug your dryers power cord from the wall outlet. Grab the sides of the dryer, and pull it away from the wall just enough so that you can work behind the dryer.

2. Loosen the screw on the clamp that secures the dryer vent duct to the exhaust port on the rear of the dryer with a Phillips-head screwdriver. Pull the dryer duct off the dryer exhaust port. Turn around and loosen the clamp securing the duct to the outside dryer vent pipe, and pull the dryer duct work off the pipe.

3. Insert a lint brush into the exhaust port of your dryer, and pull out the lint with the brush. Rotate the lint brush around the inside circumference of the exhaust port to remove as much lint as possible.

4. Remove the lint from the outside dryer vent pipe with the lint brush. If you have lint that will not pull out with the lint brush due to moisture, push the lint as far as you can with the lint brush to move the lint to the outside vent opening.

5. Take the dryer duct work and a vacuum cleaner outside to the outside dryer vent. Plug the vacuum into an outlet, and vacuum the inside of the outside dryer vent under the vent hood. Put a brush attachment on your vacuum hose, and vacuum the inside of the dryer duct work.

6. Expand the duct work on the ground if you have the expandable duct work. Insert the vacuum hose through both sides to vacuum the lint and debris from the duct work.

7. Unplug the vacuum, and take the vacuum and the duct work back inside the house. Slide the duct work over the outside dryer vent pipe and the exhaust port on your dryer. Secure the duct work by tightening the two clamps.

8. Push your dryer back into its operating position, and plug the power cord back into the outlet.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to clean your lint screen before or after each load of clothes.

• Always disconnect power from appliances before attempting repairs.

References

• Bob Vila: How to Clean a Dryer Vent
• This Old House: Cleaning Out Dryer Ducts