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ASKED ON 02/11/2012
Rajaho...

Do I need to have my dryer duct work cleaned professionally or should I just buy an attachment for my vacuum cleaner?


Our washer and dryer are in the basement and vent out of a window just above them so it's not a very long distance.

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avatar Todd's...

3
If the ducts are venting through a window I'm assuming the duct work is all easily accessible. Lowe's and Home Depot sell a cleaning kit that uses an electric drill to spin the brush as it goes through the ductwork. I've found it to work quite well and you can do it yourself. It may take a few passes the first time to get everything out if it has been a while since it was last cleaned. Just make sure you get all of the loose lint out after running the brush through from both ends and you're good to go. Please note that if the line is not hard but rather a flex duct line you can easily puncture a whole in it with this kit and will do better to clean it by hand.

Todd Shell
Todd's Home Services
www.thomeservices.com
ANSWERED ON 02/11/2012
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Answers

avatar Todd's...

3
If the ducts are venting through a window I'm assuming the duct work is all easily accessible. Lowe's and Home Depot sell a cleaning kit that uses an electric drill to spin the brush as it goes through the ductwork. I've found it to work quite well and you can do it yourself. It may take a few passes the first time to get everything out if it has been a while since it was last cleaned. Just make sure you get all of the loose lint out after running the brush through from both ends and you're good to go. Please note that if the line is not hard but rather a flex duct line you can easily puncture a whole in it with this kit and will do better to clean it by hand.

Todd Shell
Todd's Home Services
www.thomeservices.com
ANSWERED ON 02/11/2012
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avatar HMDhom...

0
Todd's advice on this question and in this forum has been very sound - go with it!
ANSWERED ON 02/11/2012
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avatar Raymon...

0
if you are inquiering for professional service is because your vent are not accesince you are worried ssable if your dryer vent is easy to get to you are better off replacing it and creaper. if you live in a complex multi apartment building ask your mangement to see asbout cleaning your dryer vent since you are worried about a vent flash fire.

Raymond Gonzalez

Source: http://koolrayheatingandair..
.

ANSWERED ON 02/11/2012
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avatar Rajaho...

0
I looked again and it's a flexible line and quite short. What's a good way to clean it? I've also noticed a lot of lint that's "escaped" the lint screen and fallen down underneath it (inside the dryer). Can I just vacuum that out or do I need to clean further in?
ANSWERED ON 02/13/2012
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avatar Raymon...

1
the lint inside your dryer is alot more dangerest then the lint in the duct. If you have a regular dryer and not a hi capacity dryer you should be able to take the back cover off f you do that then with a wet vac clean your dryer and then change the flex vent dsince it is completly clogged and it is not worth having it clean out

Raymond Gonzalez
koolray heating and air







Source: http://koolrayheatingandair..
.

ANSWERED ON 02/13/2012
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avatar Todd's...

1
Replace the flex line this time. In the future stay on top of it, judging how often to clean it out by how much use it gets. For a family of four every 6 months should be ok. More people, clean more often and visa vera. For the dryer a brush through the channel from the lint screen in the dryer to the exit port at the back will clean the caked up lint. There shouldn't be any lint in the case of the dryer if the duct line was attached properly but since there is look for damage while that back cover is off. Clean the lint filter inside the dryer with every load to keep excess lint from traveling into the duct and help the dryer run as efficiently as possible.

Todd Shell
Todd's Home Services
ANSWERED ON 02/13/2012
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avatar owen k...

0

If the pipe is not exposed do not do it ,good luck I have seen a lot of rusted pipe. and a lot of over- ran pipe this only aides in lint clogging up your pipes and the first few feet of pipe ran into your house should be insulated and use no flex plastic pipe! look up dryer fires on internet.

ANSWERED ON 02/23/2012
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