There is no question that in today’s busy household, no one has time to waste on inefficient laundry cycles. Occasionally, appliance problems sneak up on you though. If you have an issue that has you wondering, “Is dryer vent cleaning important?”, then you’re probably already noticing some issues with your dryer. The good news is, you can easily learn how to clean you dryer vents yourself!

Dryer vent maintenance is critical to the efficiency of your dryer and the safety of your home. One of the leading causes of house fires begins with the dryer. And with rising utility costs, you don’t want a dryer that isn’t efficient and costs more money each month than it should.

Dryer education goes a long way in preventing tragic fires and helping families reduce utility expenses.

Many people don’t think about air duct cleaning beyond the lint trap. But without regular cleaning and maintenance, you could be exposing your household to the risk of fire danger, higher utility bills, and at the very least, inefficient drying. So is dryer vent cleaning important? Extremely.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, almost 3,000 dryer fires are reported each year, resulting in over $35 million in property damage, injuries, and even death. The leading cause of dryer fires is the failure to clean the dryers properly and regularly. This crisis can be prevented!

In addition to fire dangers, clogged dryer vents restrict airflow which prevents clothes from drying in a timely fashion. For the dryer to run excessively, sometimes through two and three cycles, is a waste of money. The more you run your appliances, the more it costs. So to reduce your utility bill, your dryer needs to operate efficiently.

Before you learn how to clean your dryer vent, it’s helpful to know the signs of a clogged air duct. If your dryer takes too long to dry clothes, or you find the dryer takes two cycles to dry completely, then your vents probably need a thorough cleaning.

Another sign you need to clean the dryer vents is your clothes are hot to the touch when you take them out. It has likely been too long since you’ve cleaned your dryer vent if you experience any of these signs

If you’re a DIY kind of person, read on to find out how to can clean your dryer vents. You’ll need an appliance brush and/or lint removal kit like this one from Amazon , a shop vac, a cordless drill, and outside access to the vent. All of the vents and ducts need to be disconnected and thoroughly cleaned, including the vent on the outside of the house.

Follow these steps on dryer air duct cleaning:

Step #1: Setup Your Cleaning Instruments

Screw on the brush attachment to one of the flexible rods included in your lint removal kit. Insert the rod into the vent adapter, remove the air duct cap on your home’s outside duct opening, and insert the instrument, brush first.

Step #2: Attach Shop Vac Hose

Once your brush tool and dryer vent adapter are in place, insert your shop vac’s hose into the adapter.

Step #3: Attach the Drill

Next, attach your cordless drill to the end of the flexible rod. You can to this the same way you would with any regular drill bit.

Step #4: Clean the Dryer Vent

Now that you have everything set up correctly, it’s time to really learn how to clean your dryer vent! Turn on the vacuum and the drill. With the drill in hand, slowly push the brush further into the vent.

Depending on how long your dryer vent is, you may have remove the drill and attach multiple rods as you go. Once you’ve reached the end of the vent, reverse the process. With the drill on, pull the brush out, removing rods as necessary.

Turn off the vacuum, remove all tools and attachments, and replace the dryer vent opening cover. Then, check your shop vac to see how much lint you removed!

The safest way to ensure your vents are completely clear and free of lint though is to hire a professional dryer vent cleaning service , like Fix Appliance Repair. A licensed technician will thoroughly clean the vents from the dryer through to the outside of the house.

How much does dryer vent cleaning cost? Contact Fix Appliance Repair Care today to schedule your dryer vent cleaning service at a discounted rate. The peace of mind is worth the call.