The MOST important periodic maintenance for any dryer is a clear exhaust.

Many clothes dryer failures can be traced back to an improperly maintained vent system. This causes premature failure of the dryer bearings, dryer elements, dryer ignitors and other critical dryer parts.

• For best drying results and safety, clean the lint filter before each load.
• When drying only one or two items, toss in a few items of varying size to promote good tumbling action and improve drying results. Many times, I will through in clean damp towels to keep things tumbling well.
• Dryers with an Auto-Dry cycle will not dry properly with a very small load in the tumbler.
• Never use white plastic exhaust duct on any dryer!! This material is not only flammable, but it increases drying time tremendously!
• Do not use the foil-looking stuff, either! Use only flexible metal duct or rigid duct. The new periscope vent kits also work well for dryers in tight spaces and will eliminate any chance of hose kinking.
• Improper venting or a clogged vent will give the following results:
• Long drying times
• Clothes are too hot at end of cycle
• Dryer is noisier than it is supposed to be
• Clothes still hot and damp after cycle ends
• Automatic sensors fail to shut off
• Premature failure of heating element, motor or bearings

If your vent runs vertically, such as thru a wall to the roof, expect extended drying times (not to mention premature failure of the motor, drum rollers and heater).

Fortunately, we carry the best products for any homeowner to use to maintain a safe and efficient dryer!

Labels: Clothes Dryer Parts

Before we get started, the answer is yes - get your dryer vent cleaned!

Getting your dryer vent cleaned (or even cleaning it yourself is of the upmost important to possibly saving your own life) - or at the least .. extending the life of your clothes dryer.

Even a cleaned lint screen traps only 75% of the lint produced inside a dryer. The rest of the lint builds up over time inside the dryer vent, becoming a fire hazard. Dryer lint is highly flammable and has the potential to ignite at any time.

Cleaning your Dryer Vents serves a number of purposes:

• It protects your home & its contents from fires, smoke and pollutants
• Significantly reduces energy operating costs
• Dryers run more efficiently
• Dryers will last longer
• Clothes will dry faster

For DIY type people - here is a general step-by-step to clean your dryer vent:

• Unplug the clothes dryer (from both gas & electric). If you have a gas clothes dryer, shut off the gas.
• Pull the dryer out, just to the extension of your dryer vent, (usually about 2 feet).
• Using a screwdriver or nut driver, loosen the 4" clamp (dryer vent clamp) on the back of the dryer.
• Slide the vent off the dryer.
• Reach into the hole on the back of the dryer, and pull out any lint and buildup. A shop or house vacuum cleaner can help reach inside and usually does a good job of removing the lint.
• Reach into the dryer vent tubing you just took off and pull out lint from there, as well. The vacuum works well here also.
• Look at the ends. Most of the lint will build at the ends (within a foot), and not so much in the middle of the vents. If you do find a large buildup in the middle, you can use a plumbing snake to pull it out. Try the flexible hose on your vacuum cleaner to reach inside, whether it is running or not.
  Slide the dryer vent clamp back over the vent, reattach the dryer vent, tighten the clamp, and slide dryer back into place.
• Remove the dryer vent on the outside of the house as well. This one may have caulking around the cover, as well as screws. Use a razor knife to cut away the caulk. It may have a sleeve about a foot long. If this is the case, slide it straight out.
• Reach in and clean out the lint or insert your vacuum cleaner tubing into the dryer exhaust tubing. You can reach as far as your arm will go or use the vacuum tubing.
• Look into the vent to see if you missed anything. If it's out of reach use a plumber's snake or other tool (vacuum cleaner tubing).
• Turn on gas and plug unit back in.
• Run dryer on air fluff for 10 minutes. Debris you just loosened may fly out, so don't stand right outside.
• Recheck the outside vent for obstructions and reattach the outside vent.

Be safe - Clean your vent or have a professional do it for you.

Labels: Clothes Dryer Parts, dryer vent cleaning

Clothes Dryers are a luxury that we cannot live without and when the clothes come out too damp, it can irritate even the best of us.

We count on our dryers 52 weeks of the year.

Here are some quick tips to extend the life of your clothes dryer and save energy.

• Avoid kinking the exhaust vent behind dryer. Besides making it harder for the dryer to dry your clothes, you may need a replacement dryer vent quicker. If your dryer is very close to the wall, try a Dryer Vent Periscope. A periscope is designed to allow close placement of the dryer to the wall. Metal clamps on a dryer vent periscope make installation easy with common household tools.
• The shorter the better (as far as vents go). Exhaust ducting should be of a metalized semi rigid/flexible material. Do not use vinyl as it can be easily smashed. Vinyl will not withstand heat as well as metalized ducting.
• Check your outside vent hood for clogs and dirts. Make sure that you clean it regularily if necessary. Don't use mesh wire or grates to cover the vent hood unless you are willing to clean the grates out regularily. Grates will definitely help keep rodents or birds out of your exhaust but can easily cause clogging. Lint always makes it through the dryer's lint screen and can clog the grate.
• The best dryer vent hood has a flapper that opens when the clothes dryer is in use and closes when off. Check the proper operation of the flapper on a regular basis.
• Clean the lint screen between loads (we have all heard this one before). Featured: Upper & lower air duct assembly with lint screen
• Do not overload dryer and do not underload the dryer. Too many clothes will inhibit proper circulation of heated air between the garments. On the other hand, too few clothes in the clothes dryer can create a similar problem by bunching and not allowing proper air flow through the clothes. Proper air flow will make for a faster dry time.
• In winter months, dryers located in a heated area of the home will dry more quickly than in a basement or non-heated utility room. This may not be something you can control, though.
• Drying loads sequentially will reduce overall dry time by using the heat retained by the dryer from previous loads. So go back to the "laundry day" idea that our Mothers had.
• Recheck pants pockets and clothes cubby holes before putting clothes into dryer. Gum, pencils, pens, money, nails, earrings, jewelry, etc. can damage clothing as well as damage your appliance.
• Improperly vented dryers can pose a serious fire hazard. This hazard can be drastically mitigated or even eliminated by installing a fire-safe venting system.

Labels: Clothes Dryer Parts

Extending the Life of your Clothes Dryer - Tips on Dryer Maintenance

It is important that your dryer vent be made of aluminum. Years ago, the vents were made of flammable materials and if by chance if you do not have an aluminum dryer vent - get one!

Check the entire length of the vent pipe for lint build-up at least once a year--or more often if the dryer gets a lot of use. Most companies that clean air ducts, will clean out your dryer vent also.

Dryer Lint filter
Check and clean the dryer lint filter after every drying cycle. If the lint filter has any rips or tears, replace it. If the filter gets clogged by fabric softener residue or any other residue, you can easily clean it with a soft-bristle brush and a little detergent.

If your clothes dryer is drying your clothes more and more slowly each cycle, chances are lint is stuck somewhere in the vent. Not only is this an inconvenience, it can be a fire hazard.

• Dryer vents clogged with lint cost $18-24 more per month.
• There are 15,500 fires every year caused by dryer vents.
• Dryer manufacturers recommend you clean your dryer vent every year.
• Regular dryer vent maintenance prolongs the life of your dryer.

The easiest way to prevent or get rid of lint clog is to hire a professional, but if you can't do that ... get the old vacuum out, unplug the dryer and start vacuuming all parts of the dryer.

Did you know?
90% of the population has a dryer vent clog and are unaware of it.

Labels: Clothes Dryer Parts