Dryer vent cleaning prior to winter is important, and understanding the mechanics behind exhaust air will help maintain a system’s air ducts before the weather gets cold. When winter hits, thick, fluffy clothing comes out. When thick, fluffy clothing comes out, it often hits the dryer hardest.

Before accessing professional air duct cleaning services, and before experimenting with mid-winter remedies for clogged or damaged dryer units, take the following pre-winter precautions and protect the dryer unit before it gets damaged.

Short Ductwork is Safe Ductwork

Again, colder months equate to thicker clothing, so reducing lint-based damages is important. Dryers maintain duct ports, and short ductwork often reduces lint’s total area. When installing a new dryer, or, when preparing one for winter, installing ductwork in the following manner can reduce danger:

• Ductwork under 25 feet long 
• Straight-running exhaust areas
• Non-curved duct ports

Understanding Winter Washing

When washing clothes during fall and winter, several dynamics change. Preparing a laundry room for winter needn’t be exclusive to September and October, either.

When cleaning heavier clothes, like jackets, sweatpants, and thick scarves, implementing a dry-by-dry basis for lint removal can save a dryer from costly damages. Similarly, understanding time lengths required for drying is important–as snow-wet clothes often take longer to dry. Utilizing a single dry cycle is safer for most systems than multiple short cycles.

Onto the Lint Removal

During autumn months, a lint “deep clean” is a fantastic idea. Lint-clogged dryers can consume an average of 20 dollars-worth of monthly electricity, and they can even be hazardous to homeowners. Maintaining a healthy dryer is important, and it’s easy when the proper steps are taken.

Lint often builds up within four distinct areas. However, homeowners often forget to check such areas when completing day-by-day average removals. When cleaning the dryer unit, check the following areas for clogged lint:

• Inside the unit’s lint trap
• Within the dryer’s flexible duct hose
• Inside the dryer’s wall duct
• The outside vent flap

90 percent of dryer problems may be resolved through cleaning the unit’s lint trap, but unplugging it, disconnecting its exhaust tube, and utilizing a dryer brush for lint cleaning can save costly repairs. Remember: Putting each component back together is vital, as loose vent flaps and duct hoses may increase a dryer’s lint production and potentially damage interior filtering systems with dust and hair.

Protecting one’s dryer is easy, and preparing for cold weather, when done correctly, adequately spares laundry rooms from new seasons.