Clean Your Dryer Vent
Lint-clogged vents cause 2,900 house fires a year. A yearly clean is the highest-ROI safety task you can do.
Unplug the dryer (or cut gas)
Pull the dryer away from the wall. If gas, shut off the gas valve. If electric, unplug.
Disconnect the vent hose
Loosen the clamp on the vent hose at the back of the dryer and remove the hose from both ends.
Vacuum the hose and wall port
Use a vacuum hose attachment to clean out the flexible hose and the wall port. Scrub stubborn lint with an old toothbrush.
Clean the vent run with a brush kit
A dryer vent brush kit attaches to a drill and pushes through the full duct run. Push from the dryer side out through the exterior vent.
Check the exterior vent flap
Go outside and find the dryer vent exit. Make sure the flapper opens freely and isn't blocked by lint or a bird nest.
Reconnect and test
Reattach the hose at both ends, slide the dryer back, restore power/gas, and run a test cycle.
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