Spring Tidy: Cleaning Your Dryer Vents

Our expert HVAC team can help you learn how cleaning dryer vents can protect your loved ones and home and how to clean them yourself in a pinch.

The Effect of Clogged Dryer Vents on HVAC Systems

If you don’t clean your dryer vents, lint builds up and wreaks havoc and destruction throughout your home. It can take longer for your clothes to dry, and the buildup can also cause your dryer to wear out faster, causing an expensive purchase to replace it.

Lint buildup doesn’t just negatively impact your dryer. As debris accumulates, it can also make it more difficult for air to flow through the vents. Lint flows through the air vents, lowering the air quality in your home and releasing lint particles, leading to allergies, illness, and a musty scent. If the lint is moist or moisture builds up, it can facilitate mold or mildew growth. Alternatively, when it’s dry, it can increase the risk of a house fire.

Another significant risk is if you have a gas dryer with clogged lint in the air vent. This situation can release carbon monoxide fumes into your home, which can be fatal.

How to Clean Out Your Dryer Vents

Cleaning out your dryer vent is not the same as cleaning out your lint trap. Our expert Advantage Air HVAC technicians recommend cleaning the lint from your dryer vents annually. If you have a large family, you may need to clean your vent more frequently to prevent clogged dryer vents.

Here are a few steps you can take to clean your dryer vents

1. Disconnect the dryer, turning off the gas supply if it’s a gas dryer.
2. Move the dryer away from the wall so you can find the vent and access it.
3. Clear the lint away from the vent opening and use a lint brush or a vacuum hose to remove the lint from the duct.
4. Check the outdoor vent and ensure it opens easily with no bushes, trees, or other obstacles blocking it.
5. Clean up the discarded line outside and put everything back together again.

Additionally, you can hire Advantage Air HVAC if you don’t have the time, are unsure if you have a clogged dryer vent, are worried about carbon monoxide leaks, or want to ensure everything is running smoothly.

Schedule Your HVAC Maintenance Near Lexington, KY, Today

This spring, clean out your dryer vents so they don’t become a bigger challenge later. At Advantage Air HVAC, we have everything necessary to perform thorough, routine HVAC maintenance near Lexington, KY, for residential and commercial buildings. This service includes conducting duct repairs, performing air conditioning maintenance checks, inspecting refrigeration leaks, and adjusting humidity levels.

Start your HVAC maintenance today by calling (859) 559-6409 or contacting us online. One of our staff members will reply as soon as possible to answer your question or schedule a checkup. We proudly serve Lexington, Georgetown, Paris, Winchester, and Frankfort, KY.