What is a dryer vent and how to clean it from the outside?

Your dryer extracts moisture from your laundry using motion and heated air, but it needs a mechanism to get rid of all of the damp air. The dryer vent is a duct that extends from the dryer to the wall. It transports the warm air to the outdoors.

This is why you can smell your fabric softener outside if you’ve ever wondered why. The dryer vent is doing admirably! There’s an exterior dryer vent somewhere on the outside of your house; it’s normally low on the wall, but some houses have it on the roof. We don’t advocate learning how to clean a dryer vent from the outside if your dryer vent is on the roof. Hire professional dryer vent cleaners Houston to clean your dryer vent or clean it from the inside.

Why should you learn to clean your dryer vent from the outside?

The lint that collects in your lint trap is certainly recognizable to you, but it’s not the only place it ends up. Lint is taken through the dryer vent and settles there when the air that circulates through your dryer to dry your laundry becomes packed with lint.

If you don’t learn how to clean a dryer vent from the outside, the accumulation will eventually become inefficient and unsafe. When it starts to restrict airflow, it will take longer for your dryer to dry your clothes. A clogged dryer vent can eventually result in a hazardous fire. This is why you should clean your dryer vent on a regular basis. How often do you do it? This fluctuates depending on how much washing you do, but cleaning your dryer vent every three months is a good rule of thumb.

What you’ll need to clean a dryer vent from the outside

To ensure that the vent is completely clean, you should use a shop-vac and a dryer vent cleaning kit. Dryer vent cleaning kits are inexpensive and have strong bristles that remove dust and lint while the long, bendy tubing allows you to thread the brush all the way into the ductwork. They’re made to be used with a drill, but you may clean with them without one for a less thorough but still efficient clean.

• Screwdriver
• Wipes and cleaning rags
• A stiff-bristled brush on a long bendy stick
• Cleaner for vacuums
• a shop-vac and a broom.(Optional)
• Drill

What is the best way to clean a dryer vent from the outside?

Learn how to clean your dryer vent from the outside by following these simple instructions!

#1 – Find the vent on the outside of the building.

To begin, locate the vent you’ll be cleaning. It will be simpler to locate the vent if you turn on your dryer and then go around the outside of your home or business. You should be able to hear and feel the hot air flowing from the vent, as well as hear the machine and possibly smell the detergent in the air.

#2 – Turn off the dryer.

You don’t want air blowing in your face while you clean, and you certainly don’t want to tamper with electrical components. That’s why unplugging your dryer is the first step in cleaning your dryer vent from the outside. If you’re using a gas dryer, turn off the gas valve while you’re working.

#3 – Remove the exterior vent grille and cover by unscrewing it.

Unscrew the grille with your screwdriver to gain access to the vent’s inside.

#4 – Clean the inside with the brush.

It’s now time to feed the brush up into the vent, which is the most important step of cleaning your dryer vent from the outside. This will be much easier and cleaner if you use a shop-vac and drill: An attachment kit for the vent mouth will be included with your kit. These are supposed to be used on the dryer vent’s indoor side, so they may not fit your vent, but if they do, you should absolutely use them.

Turn on the shop vac by inserting the tube into the vent. Attach the drill bit to the brush’s end, then carefully feed the brush into the vent, making sure the drill is set to run clockwise.

If you’re not using the drill, work the brush against the inside of the vent with strong scrubbing hand strokes to loosen the dust and lint layer.

#5 – Collect the lint with the vacuum.

If you haven’t used a shop-vac, you’ll probably get a spray of lint and dust when you draw the brush out. One reason to learn how to clean dryer vents from the outside is that it takes less time than cleaning them in your laundry room. Clean up the filth with the vacuum.

#6 – Remove the vent cover and wash it.

To clean the vent cover and unblock anything stuck in the grille, use the wipes or, if the filth is tenacious, soap and water.

#7 – Replace the vent cover with a new one.

You’re almost done at this stage. Replace the screws and replace the vent cover!

How to clean a dryer vent from the outside

That’s it: your step-by-step instruction to cleaning a dryer vent from the outside. It’s not difficult, and it will make a significant difference in the long run in terms of your dryer’s safety and efficiency. Learning how to clean a dryer vent from the outside is an often-overlooked component of home maintenance, but it’s critical for decreasing the chance of a fire in your home.

Contact American Air Ducts at 866-373-3828 if you’d like more tips on How to Clean A Dryer Vent from The Outside and other dryer vent skills!