Proper dryer vent installation and the right choice of material are essential in providing your clothes dryer with proper air flow. Here are some dryer vent repair and installation tips:
Make sure your dryer duct is made of solid metal 4-inch tubing. The vinyl or flexible foil types are not sufficient for air flow, they tend to trap more lint and they are combustible.
Use metal clamps to attach the duct to the dryer and foil tape to seal joints between sections. Do not use duct tape; this is flammable! Do not use sheet metal screws; they protrude to the inside and catch lint.
Short and straight is the best route for your dryer vent system. Try to avoid sharp turns.
Install an exterior dryer exhaust hood to the outside with louvers that open when the dryer is running and close when it is off. Check the vent often when the dryer is running to be sure it is functioning properly. You should see the exhaust coming out. You also need to check to be sure birds or mice haven’t built a nest or that the vent isn’t frozen shut in the winter.
Always vent your clothes dryer to the outside, not in the attic or crawl space. Inside dryer vent systems no longer comply with current safety standards.
Dryer Safety Tips
Never leave the house or go to sleep when the dryer is running
Avoid storing flammable material or chemicals near the clothes dryer
Do not place rags that have been soaked with flammable substances into the dryer even if they have been washed; some residue can remain.
Have a professional inspect and clean your dryer vent system annually
Proper air flow is the most important requirement for your dryer to work safely and efficiently. Failure to clean dryer vents is the number one cause of dryer fires, not to mention increased energy bills and appliance failure due to excessive stress on the machine.
Don Brusseau is a CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Expert and owner of Dryer Vent Wizard, a national dryer vent cleaning, repair and installation company who strives to promote consumer awareness on dryer fire safety and energy savings. Making clothes dryers safer and greener is DVW’s specialty.
Dryer Vent Wizard of Connecticut provides dryer vent cleaning, dryer vent repair, dryer vent installation, dryer vent inspections and all dryer vent services for homes and businesses in New London, Middlesex and New Haven Counties, New London, Groton, Niantic, Mystic, Waterford, Norwich, Stonington, Lyme, Old Lyme, East Lyme, Essex, Montville, Pawcatuck, New Haven, Branford, Gilford, Milford, Madison, Middletown, Portland, Cromwell, Clinton, Westbrook, Chester, Haddam, Higganum, Killingworth, East Hampton, Deep River, Centerbrook, Uncasville, Voluntown, Ledyard, Lebanon, Quaker Hill, Prospect, Meriden, and neighboring cities and communities.
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