I had a professional service come to clean my duct. I was still having issues with the dryer drying after they were done. I got a long brush you can attach to a drill, but couldn’t get it past about 6 feet. And with the sharp turns it took I didn’t try with the drill. I was completely frustrated and didn’t know what to do. I watched this video and was so excited. I did have to create an adapter since our leaf blower has a closer to rectangular opening. So I used a large cottage cheese or yogurt container that actually fit the dryer duct perfectly. I blew out about a gallons worth of lint. And now I can dry my clothes. Thank you so much!!!
She's so cute. I love that you have her with you. I'm a child of a mechanic, and I'm able to do a majority of my home repairs alone. I'm going to do this.
She was not even close enough for her to be harmed from inhalation. Even if she was exposed to a little dust, he didn't purposely expose her or anticipate she would come that close. Don't be such a jerk. His work could save that same little girl from dying in a fire. At least he involves her and is a positive role model in her life.
Lol…I thought I invented this… I did this to our dryer duct about 10 years ago and have been doing this annually to insure dryer efficiency. Keep up the good work!
The ABSOLUTE BEST way to greatly reduce the fire hazard in most dryers is REPLACING the accordion style flexible ducting with SMOOTH sided sheet metal ducting... and also cleaning the inside of the dryer to get ALL debris out .Even using a blower will not remove ALL debris that’s clinging to the sides of flexible ducting and inside of the dryer...connect duct joints with aluminum tape, never screws or rivets,as lint will catch on these. And being an appliance that heats up, you can never eliminate the possibility of fire.
Oh my Gosh...so hilarious. He puts on safety glasses and a mask to keep himself safe, but watch his toddler daughter walking all around with absolutely no safety measures.
saw in other videos where the blower alone would not dislodge a lot of what was stuck. perhaps w/ a strong enuf blower and some specific dryer vent line configurations, this is all u'd need. this approach definitely adds to what other cleanout tools bring to the table.
I cannot thank you enough for this incredible idea. We had been cleaning ours with multiple links of vent cleaner kit with brush on end. We were stymied by an elbow. Then the brush came off in the duct work. Had no idea beyond cutting ducts apart at seam to remove brush. Then I saw your video. We have a pro grade leaf blower. It blew brush out of pipe along with the remaining offending lint. Thank you!!!!
If you had that much lint in the ductwork, you really need to pull the back off the dryer and clean out the heating element area and the air paths in the internal ductwork. It is quite possible you will find a big wad of burned or charred lint in the heating element area. It is common to have a dryer catch fire and possibly burn your house down. My dryer is one that was my mothers and it failed to heat. I pulled the back off and found the element open and when I took the cover off the heating element it had a big wad of charred lint in it. Also a lot of lint in the internal ductwork, and $.37 in change in the dryer plus hardware that had been in pockets. The dryer had not been cleaned in at least 35 years, since before my folks died. I also replaced the belt while I was at it, as the belt was about 40+ years old when it broke. I use a 1' ft. section of corrugated metal flex tubing, as the dryer vent to outside is offset just about 6". My dryer backs right onto the vent pipe to the outside. I also regularly clean the little "flaps' on the outside of the vent pipe that keep the rain and such out. They seem to attract damp lint. They are also flexible enough that I can gently bend them & remove them to check inside the pipe for any buildup. I can reach my hand up in there & easily clean any lint stuck in the pipe out too. TIP : When you replace a belt, heating element, pully, etc, write on the back of the dryer cover in felt pen the part number & make of the part you had to replace. Saves a lot of time and hassle when you need you need to repair it again!
A 35 - 40 yr old dryer and it stills works-outstanding.. We had one that I kept going that was 25-30 yrs old but the ones you can buy now you're lucky if you can get 10-15 yrs out of them...
@@tonyjordan1320 We got a Maytag washer an dryer shortly after we bought our house so they're both about 33 or 34 years old. Never had any problem with either. Our Maytag fridge is similar vintage, but I've replaced the solenoid valve for the ice maker, and about 3 times the drain for the automatic defrosting has clogged up. Takes me about 30 minutes to clear the freezer, remove a panel and thaw the resulting ice. I'll take that over the gamble on what they're selling now.
I was coming to say the same thing! Ours had lint covering motor once, thank goodness a part went out and we found it. Since then I clean the inside every few months!
@@tonyjordan1320 Planned obsolescence. That's when corporate profits have priority over The Consumer. What would be the actual price increase for materials if a dryer were made to last 40+ years instead of 15?
if any of the pipe is going through an uninsulated area like a craw space or attic, if you can insulate that part of the pipe it will help that part of the pipe from sweating from extreme temp changes, a sweating pipe collects more lint fast. @@mhzprayer
It's still clogged buddy! That lint door should be pegged open not partially. Buy a 20 dollar brush attachment that connects to a drill and you will see the blower doesn't clean the vent
Replace the transition duct that is made with foil as seen in the video with a semi-rigid transition duct. For the DIY person, use a rotating duct cleaning tool in combination with a wet-dry vac. This works really well. The homeowner's dryer should be opened and cleaned of accumulated lint as well. I am sure that there is a massive amount based on the condition of the exhaust duct.
Years ago in my old house we had a dryer fire which is the most common way that houses burn down! I had reminded my ex several times that the lint trap needs to be emptied EVERY TIME he used the dryer. He would ignore me. Well we were VERY lucky because the lint that was backed up into the dryer caught fire but was contained to just the dryer! It didn't spread probably because we didn't have a finished basement and there was nothing close by that could catch on fire. There was charred remnants in the actual dryer that I think were towels! When we did use the leaf blower to unclog the 10 ft run of the dryer vent line it took several attempts to get the clog out! When it did finally come out the wall vent it literally looked like it snowed in our yard there was so much lint!! Plus by keeping the vent cleaned out or even usuable you are extending the life of your dryer! It won't take as long to dry your clothes which causes less stress on the machine AND lowers your utility bills (gas/electric)! Win-win I don't know if anyone else's has commented on your beautiful daughter standing downwind of the lint trap and all the dirt she was potentially inhaling! Then your older daughter sticking her hand in the dryer vent! From personal experience I know how sharp those edges could be! Plus now your kids now about the vent and will most likely consider it a new place to hide stuff or just mess with it!
This vid could actually be saving lives from house fires caused by blocked dryer venting! You get a super hi-5 from me sir! (Pass it on to Kelsey too!)
I have never read or heard about actual dryer fires, in the machine or in the ducts. If there was a fire in the machine then most likely the machine was defective and would have caught fire with or without lint. Fire in the ducts? What started t?
This vid could actually be causing deaths because some idiot is going to come along and use a gas powered leaf blower. Not once did he say to use a battery leaf blower and some people aren't going to think about the differences.
It's unbelievable how flammable dryer lint is. I actually save it in a ziplock bag and use it for fire starter to get campfires going. It works better than anything else I've tried, but it's scary that it's so combustible too.
I've been cleaning out these vents for 25 years with a dryer vent kit with extendable brushes from Amazon using the air pressure from the dryer running on air dry or no heat. I had to trim one brush to half its diameter to avoid compacting the lint and then using a full sized brush to remove the remnants. The secret to success is to move forward a little at a time and then pull back to allow the lint to escape. If you go in too fast you can create a blockage and be forced to call a professional. Some vents are too long to be cleaned manually. Warning: if you rotate the rods counter clockwise and unscrew them you will leave the brush stuck inside the vent.
I'm getting ready to do this, thank you for the info. Wouldn't have thought of either getting it stuck or what would happen if I rotate the rods counter clockwise! Also going to finish off with the blower. My vent is on my roof, which I find annoying! But thank you.
Your supervisors are adorable. I always clean my filter after each load, but will check the outside vent. My dryer is over 30 years old and the ductwork has been replaced, but it's been a long time and could probably use a good cleaning. Thanks for the great tips.
@@RickZepp gtfo with that overprotective bs. He's trying to make a video to be helpful and all you got is cringe. Did you learn everything from hearsay, textbooks and videos?
Thanks for the 'Poor Man's shortcut' to clean a dryer's duct work. (The clamp was a smart idea.) Replacing the flexible duct is the best way to do the job.
It works!! Remove all the leaf blowers segments. If the shape of the blower base is not round, wrap a piece of translucent plastic foam (the kind to wrap fragile things instead of bubble wrap) to act like pipe thread tape on a pipe, this will make a good flexible tight fit when inserted in the dryer vent aluminum tubing. It will take several tries and unclogging the outside vent each time but it's very satisfying!!!🎉
Thanks for the tip! I have a similar Makita blower and used it to blow mine out. I have 3 90 degree bends in mine (thanks Mr. Builder) and my cleaning kit cannot navigate the corners. The last duct cleaner who came out had trouble too! This did blow a massive amount of crud about 10 feet out and onto my lawn. Ducts are perfectly clean now and air flows stronger than ever!
We must have had the same builder as ours immediately bends 90 degrees upwards extends about 5 feet then takes another 90 degree bend and travels about 10 feet to the outside wall. Since we live on a slope our foundation at that spot outside is about 3ft requiring a 10 ft ladder to reach the duct. We are able to use a snake but have to clean it every 6 months. After the snake I use the exhaust portion of my vacuum by inserting the wand in. We don’t have a leaf blower but it’s a good idea to get one for this. I clean the dryer vent even during a drying cycle to try and eliminate it but it still accumulates. Since the dryer is set in an alcove we have to have a long flexible duct that needs an ‘s’ bend as we have to pull out the dryer and climb over it squeezing between the overhead built in oak cabinets and the top of the dryer back. I drop a small 3ft closed ladder so I can get back out as there isn’t enough space to open it up. I think architects and/or builders never think of how to maintain or clean features. Changing a spotlight bulb 25 feet in the ceiling requires a tall stepladder and a special long bulb changer. Our A/C vent is in the ceiling and I fell off the step stool onto a wood chest and fractured 4 ribs. The metal grate swings down and it holds a 20x25” filter so it’s unwieldy to hold it in place with one hand using your other hand to close it and then still needs both hands to twist the small knobs to secure it. I don’t even attempt to change the light bulbs in the hanging fixture in the stairwell.
Thanks for the tutorial. I wanted to tackle this project, but was not sure how in-depth it would be. After watching, it looked pretty straight forward. I ended up ordering a 60 foot flexible dryer vent cleaning tool that connects to a drill, along with your blower suggestion, and all is good. I was surprised at how little time it took to complete. Your daughter looks like a great helper.
WOW, hard to believe that so much lint was packed in that duct ! I have been in my home 16 years as of next month, and the duct is STILL blowing freely to the outside through a louvered vent without a blowout such as this. I clean the drier filter at every load. The hose here, is only 4.5 feet distance to the outside vent from the rear of the dryer. In my case, I would simply change out the entire duct itself. Thanks for posting.
I went 21 years with no problem (always cleaned the lint trap after every load) that I was aware of and the previous occupants for 8 years would never have cleaned the ductwork and probably not the lint filter either. I simply never heard of duct cleaning, but it ducted directly through the exterior wall through the short flexible duct inside that I did clean out occasionally. My current house has a very long duct to the outside so after 15 years I think I better do something.
@@tonyjordan1320 I don't know how to do it and in my rural area there are no companies that do that sort of thing. I could try to get such a person from a distant town, but I doubt it which is why I have been putting it off. I will try the blower, but if there's a lot of buildup, it won't work for the 13 feet of distance. I know to do something very soon.
@@virginiamoss7045 Do you have any male siblings or a good neighbor? 13 ft is a looong piece of dryer duct and add on the 15 yrs you can bet that it needs to be replaced ASAP..
@@virginiamoss7045 13 feet! After reading a lot of comments, this is my opinion. 1) Get some twins. 2) Someone warned that if the portable blower is non-variable, but only switches from Off to Max, then turning it On could pop open a joint in the duct -- but I would gamble with someone else's duct (I mean yours) that popping open a joint will only happen if the duct is truly blocked. 3) Every time Mr. Fixit went in from the outside with his Long Grabber, the duct kept producing more lint when he went back to the blower. So, only blowing until nothing else comes out is probably not sufficiently clearing out the duct, in fact it might compress some lint which could create a real blockage, later or sooner. So when the blower isn't finding any more lint, you should do the snake operation, which apparently will loosen up more lint. It will take some creativity to figure out what you can push/pull through a 13 foot duct to loosen up more lint. Especially if the duct is corrugated plastic, you'll want something smooth and dull, not sharp, that you can thread through gently. Something that will absolutely slide over the corrugations. Regardless corrugated plastic or metal, If your snake gets hung up going through in one direction, instead of pushing harder and risking breaking something, try going in from the other direction. I keep thinking of a plumber's snake, you can do an image search for plumber's snake. They can have a hand-crank that you can turn slowly, which rotates the whole snake, to gently free it if it gets stuck on who-knows-what, but especially gently just in case it's getting stuck on the duct instead of some lint. You'll want the tip of the the snake to be soft, so maybe wrap some rags over the tip and tie them securely. 4) Since some lint is apparently reluctant to be blown out, then I think instead of one long blow, I think pulsing the blower might jar loose some additional lint. I might start with pulsing instead of one long blow. Hopefully, pulsing won't compress lint as much as one long blow, but who knows. I just read another comment. Just in case you missed it, if the dryer is drying poorly, then there *is* a blockage, and the lint built up in the duct is probably moist and will be difficult to move out. When you poke with a snake, the hard, moist lint may push the snake into the wall of the duct. The duct may be softer than the giant clump of moist lint, making it even more likely the snake will break the duct's wall. And since you're in a rural area, please adopt me. City living is a real bad habit.
If your dryer is over ~ 5 years old and you also like to use dryer sheets you may need to call in a pro. I got bored during the lockdown and decided to remove the front dryer panel to get to the blower fan that draws away the air and lint. Plus my clothes were taking way too long to dry. Wow, the impellers of the fan motor were caked with lint, as was the internal ductwork. After a good cleaning of the blower, the housing, and the duct work leading outside the drying time is reduced from about 45 minutes to 25 minutes. And those flex ducts are lint traps and reduce air velocity. Try to use rigid vent pipe wherever possible. Cheers.
Dryer sheets are toxic and leave toxic residue over your clothing and dryer. For static elimination, use wool dryer balls with a few drops of your favorite essential oil on them. Non toxic and smells great. Don't use fabric softener either, use straight up white vinegar in the rinse cycle and lastly, don't use a liquid detergent. Use powder.
I thought about doing this same thing at my mom's house when I move closer. It's a good idea to do this because so many fires have started this way. That old dryer pumping hot air and you have a lot of lint in the line it's a ticking fire. . You do not have to pay a specialist to do this. It will probably take less then a half hour. And also this helps your dryer run better and last longer. Because all that excess heat is not building up in your dryer. Also you get to use your old blower for something else then chasing leaves around your yard.
maybe think about more stuff. How is it, being 70? im on my way(hopefully) to being 70 one day. Any information would be much appreciated. Live long and prosper!
At Walmart, they have a nice exactly the right size duct brush with like a 6-foot spring on the brush specially made for the dryer vent cleaning process for $ to $8 and it would make the perfect team with your electric leaf blower process. I see you have already gathered a ton of suggestions and comments, lots of experts out there!
Be careful, though. The compacted lint in my duct was sturdier than the duct itself was. If the dryer is drying very badly you can bet the lint is soggy and hard (and the dryer has to be torn apart enough to clean out the passages).
like an episode of Mr. Rogers Neighbor Hood with the little ones helping. Good information expressed in a cool format. God Bless the little ones and Dad too.
Every 3-4 years I clean out the duct thinking I always do a thorough job but last summer my dryer blew the fuse that ran the dryer. In order to access the fuse I had to remove the large panel on the back of the dryer. Once removed I had a clear view of the blower which held a large accumulation of nearly solidified lint. The clog was so great it prevented the heated dryer exhaust from flowing causing the safety fuse to blow thus preventing a possible fire. My dryer is 19 years old and had never had the blower checked and cleaned.
I would recommend at the start to use a variable speed blower or bump the trigger to avoid the max air volume right away. Dryer ducts are not “supposed” to be screwed together, instead only held together by a foil tape. A very high volume of air blown against a blockage could possibly cause a joint to separate partially or fully. Increase to high speed when some clean out has occurred. The attention to cleaning the dryer exhaust duct is excellent as it improves dryer function and efficiency and may reduce the chance of a fire.
May I ask your opinion on the kits that include a snake with a rounded head brush for the vents for cleaning? Do you think those are feasible for the expandable dryer vent or just metal? So, use the brush first then cap it off with the blower.
The best way to avoid fires is to make sure your dryer is vented properly with rigid 4 inch metal vent and the shortest run possible with the least amount of bends. The venting this guy has should be outlawed!
A couple years ago the dryer dried very badly. I had to disassemble the dryer to clean the passages (as F K Burnham mentions) and disassemble the duct. The lint had become wet enough to make a soggy compacted mass. Leaf blowers and brushes were not going to get it; I had to scrape it out. Fortunately it was in a part of the crawl space where it was practical to simply haul the duct into the yard.
Wow!! I can’t believe how much came out of it! I’m doing mine tomorrow. My error code has come on twice so I’m excited to see how much lint and dust/dog hair etc I get out of it. Love the way you add a little sense of humor in there. And those baby girls are beautiful. It’s great to see you include them in these videos. My twins are about to turn 25 but I remember well, the toddler years. They craved helping out and learning things. Way to go Dad. 😃🙏🏻🕊
Actually, the flexible vent tubing is very inexpensive, maybe about $15. I just replace mine every 5 or 6 yrs. I also blow/brush out the remaining 2 ft. of the rigid/solid duct and vent louvers.
You people are all insanely stupid. A dirty exhaust vent does not cause the fire. You need to remove the heating element of the dryer and clean it out of the lint that has backed up at the heater. Over time the heater element or flame area gets very dirty with lint build up.
First I clean the dryer with a vacuum, ( shop vac if you have one instead of your house vacuum that will then need to be cleaned out). Both the dryer rear exhaust AND ALSO remove the screen to clean out hidden build up using a crevice tool. Use a flashlight to see as much as possible. I found a lot in my nephew's. It was a MAJOR FIRE HAZARD Another comment posted mentioned opening dryer and checking the fan blades and everything. This might be necessary if you found a lot of build up or suspect or want peace of mind knowing it is all clean. Next vacuum the exhaust path with a hose as far as you can. I have a 10 foot hose on my shop vac. You can buy hose if you only have your house vacuum. If the path is 5 - 10 feet this is fine but if longer you need to do it also from outside. Reconnect the dryer and go outside. Remove the vent cover and vacuum as far as you can. If you found very little build up you are probably done, run the dryer and observe what now comes out. If CLEAN AND STRONG air flow, put the cover back. If you found a lot, try running the dryer and observe. IT MIGHT push the last stuff out and be good, but if it is not blowing CLEAN AND STRONG you might need to vacuum with a longer hose, or investigate the path (under the house or through walls or attic ) to find a place to disassemble and vacuum. MAYBE NOW USE THE LEAF BLOWER. LONG RUNS MUST NOT BE FLEXIBLE HOSE ! Lint builds up in the ridges. You need CLEAN AND STRONG air flow. Lint build up is a FIRE HAZARD ! Good Luck God Bless You Be safe ( eye & breathing protection )
The number one reason I never use flex hose for dryers. Dryer lint goes up in flames instantly from one small spark. Great for starting campfires...bad because it causes house fires. My rtrash barrel is away from my dryer too so if someone misses the barrel, the lint doesn't go under the dryer and get sucked into the heat chamber. A fire inside your dryer when clothes are nearly dry is a sight you don't want to see. Taking the back plate off the dryer is just as easy and you can really get all the lint out. Good video.
That foil duct is dangerous, as it easily catches the lint on the sides. I replaced mine with solid vent pipe, and sealed all the joints with aluminum tape. I clean it out yearly, and it only takes 1 blow through. There is not a lot of residue in the smooth duct, unlike your lint trapper.
@@MichaelRei99- True, but I am an old fuddy- duddy, so the little bit of HVAC foil tape that I use gives me peace of mind that I am not having any dust blowing out of minute cracks or crevices.
I like how you protect yourself I guess that's not your favorite kid since she has nothing on but yet all the dust was blowing straight to her face keep up the good work buddy.
An indication for time to clean the duct is when the dryer taken more time to dry or the room getting more humid than usual. Don't forget to cleanout the dryer and what's underneath as well.
Tried it, Wow.🙂It worked very well !! We did not use a clamp to hold open the hatch. We did however use duct tape, worked like a champ! Thank you for your great idea!
Also, if you have an air compressor, stick the compressor hose in the slot after removing the lint screen, and shoot some air through there and you'll see a bunch of lint come out the back of the dryer. I've also found a leaf blower handy for cleaning snow off of sidewalks without having to resort to shoveling (though doesn't work well with wet snow) and for cleaning out rain gutters without having to resort to a water hose. It does a much better job and is cleaner, but you can't really do it from a ladder, so you have to get out on the roof.
You have to be careful when putting pressure air in the lint trap some dryers have sensors there or the blower blades can be damage if to bridle best way remove dryer put brush from inside with shop vac as far as you can from inside then put blower and brush rhe rest from the outside so avoid middle clogges
Compressed air typically doesn’t have the volume to do what you’re trying to do here. The leaf blower on a variable speed is a much better idea. Start out slow and I wouldn’t put it at full power unless you’re just in the rigid pipe section
@@toddedward2710 You're probably right. I used the air compressor because it just happened to be sitting right there and I thought, "Let me try this" and it worked. I just used it using short bursts of air and it got the job done.
Holy mackerel! That was amazing. Too bad I sold my leaf blower when I sold my house and moved to a condo. I still have a small blower that I'll try. Thanks for this tip. Your assistant was too cute. Take care and stay safe. 🤟🏼🖖🏼
Pretty good video overall with an interesting take on cleaning. Far too many people here criticising, they should make their own videos if they have the talent to do so....🤔
I’ll just protect myself as my toddler daughter inhales all of the dust that I don’t want to. Open your eyes and take a deep breath Kelsey, you don’t want to miss a thing. Lol, Good tutorial though
And he's using a paper mask which will do nothing. He really needs a n95 properly fitted to keep the dust out. His stupidity is going to harm those kids in the long run.
I had a friend up in Idaho lose his home due to clogged dryer vent determined to be the source of ignition. It's good to stay on top of inspections and scheduled cleanings.
@@SuperDubess For non DIYers, it's a bargain. Insurance doesn't cover everything and I've two friends lose everything in fires. The memorabilia that can never be recovered. When they would talk about it, they were very emotional about it. Not so much the dryer vent fire, but two different others. On the flip side, there are people who don't care..
Your daughter is adorable and the hack a good idea. While you were masked your daughter was standing in the direction of the debris that you were pulling out the first time though. Suggestion: stand her upwind or mask her too!
Speaking only as someone that owns rental properties and several laundromats..the ducting is not commonly where a fire starts. It is where the fire can spread, however. The most overlooked and under-cleaned location for dryer lint is the ducting path from the lint screen to the exit behind the dryer. How many times have you undone the front panel of your dryer and cleaned out that pathway..which happens to be the pathway just inches from the dryer's heat source? In our laundromats, we clean the dryer's out based on how many hours they run. In our rental properties, we clean 1x yearly. Usually in the Fall.
I had my through second floor dryer duct stop up after 25 years in my last house. I used a shop vac to get what I could from inside the house. I then turned the shop vac to blow full blast as I went outside to remove the duct cover and stick a broom handle and then a painting extension to work the old black lint out as the shop vac blew from inside. It was a mess and I was covered with lint after I created air passage and it emptied all at once. I was lucky not to have had a house fire. The clue that you have a problem is when the dryer overheats and blows a fuse.
I like how you are saying wear a mask but your toddler is standing right there getting the lint dust in her face lmao. As far as the idea thank you. I will have to try it.
Too funny, "I am gonna mask up here" and the little girl is in the path of the dust debris! Interesting method - I might try it because I love my leaf blower [electric corded Toro Power-Jet F700].
My dryer vent goes straight up through the roof and is ducted outside that way. Once a year, I call in a chimney sweep to take care of it. Cheaper than having a house fire.
Just have the little one look straight into the outlet when you pull the trigger.😲 At least your protected!!! 😂 Glad I clicked on this one, I got a good laugh. Now on the serious side, keep your dryer vent clean, a filled vent tube can catch on fire!!
My dryer has a couple of elbows followed by a straight section of smooth ducting about 10-ft long to the exhaust, where the flap closure is easily removed. I've had good results putting a small shop towel on the end of a 10' length of stiff wire chucked in a cordless drill. Running the dryer while I ran the rotating towel in and out made the straight section clean as new. Extending the wire with a couple feet of old speedometer cable (very flexible) to the towel let me extend my reach into the curves as well. Many dryers also have internal cavities in the exhaust path that will pack up with lint, especially with the wax in fabric softeners, so this can be another problem area that requires some cleanout work on the dryer.
A dryer duct only collects that much junk if it hasn't been maintained properly, or it was poorly designed with many sharp bends and flex tubing. If possible, you want the shortest straight run of solid metal duct possible (not the flexible cheap stuff that is a known fire hazard). Then make a schedule for cleaning it at least twice per year and stick to the schedule. Dryer fires are a common source of home fires, and it is wise to never leave a dryer running if you leave the house. And btw, using a leaf blower on a poorly made dryer duct may give you more problems than just a yard full of lint balls. If that duct work comes loose inside walls or a basement or an attic, not only will you have an immediate mess but if the duct is not repaired you will be blowing lint into your home every time you use the dryer.
Dryer fires are rare and represent only 4% of residential household fires in the United States according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S., accounting for 51% of all residential building fires.
Two points to consider; first - that mask is NOT suitable for that kind of nuisance dust nor biologic pathogens (read the box). Second, why did you "mask up" and ignore your daughter's respiratory well-being? Keep your children away from dust of any kind as they are way more susceptible to lung irritation than adults. You can get nylon brushes similar to those used by a chimney sweep to do a much more thorough job without the noise.
I have found using 4 inch metal pipe stays cleaner its smoother and in the event of a fire is a LOT safer than that foil hose plus will clean out much better never use a screw to put the sections together use the foil tape any thing protruding into the duct will catch lint and stop up at that point .
I started using the metal pipe after a coworker lost his home to a dryer fire and they pinpointed it to a clogged dryer hose. They cost more than the foil/plastic ones but its worth it to avoid a dryer fire.....
Never thought about a leaf blower. Just had to replace our dryer because the heater blew out. When the new one was put in they found six pounds of birdseed inside the vent. They put in a new tubing and put a vent cover on outside. Chipmunks easy life style is over, warm place with plenty of food is over. Thank for your tip on the leaf blower, just bought a new one too.🙋♀️
If a proper metal ductwork is used, not the fire hazard prone flexible ductwork, you use a shop vac with an extended hose. You feed the hose though the exhaust until comes out the other side. If you clean your dyer filter after each load and have proper metal ductwork, you shouldn't have to clean the ductwork. The flexible ductwork creates crevices where lint can build up. Proper metal ductwork is straight pipe that has way less of a chance of lint buildup. I pull out the dryer once year and use a shop vac to clean the exhaust for the dryer and base of the ductwork. There's not much debris, because I clean the filter after each load and the metal ductwork. I don't think that flexible pipe meets code for most municipalities. It should only be used for short runs and not in wall, ie used for connecting the dryer to proper metal ductwork.
Too many ifs. Not everybody has the perfect scenario. Must work with what you have and do the best job you can. If the Queen had balls she would be the King.
Thanks, I may have to borrow my brother in law's leaf blower andctryvthis. Our dryer run is extremely long, though, so I'm not sure this will work as well.
My father in laws house. The hose was too long and kinked. Installed by professionals. I cut the hose to the right length and used his leaf blower. Looked like snow. Works perfectly now.
I will blow out my dryer vent with a leaf blower because of this video. I believe in safety equipment, especially safety glasses. But if Mr. Fixit needed glasses and a mask for his procedure, how come his little girl who was with him didn't?
Not a bad idea but if there’s any compromise in the flexible ducting (like a small hole), you could make it worse by over-pressurizing the ductwork and then all of a sudden you’ve got a hole that you either don’t know about and/or can’t fix unless you replace the whole thing. Regardless, it IS advisable to clean out your dryer ducting on a regular basis to prevent the risk of fire.
I had a professional service come to clean my duct. I was still having issues with the dryer drying after they were done. I got a long brush you can attach to a drill, but couldn’t get it past about 6 feet. And with the sharp turns it took I didn’t try with the drill. I was completely frustrated and didn’t know what to do. I watched this video and was so excited. I did have to create an adapter since our leaf blower has a closer to rectangular opening. So I used a large cottage cheese or yogurt container that actually fit the dryer duct perfectly. I blew out about a gallons worth of lint. And now I can dry my clothes. Thank you so much!!!
I'm so glad that you masked up to protect yourself from all that dust that was blowing into your young daughter's unmasked face, good job.
She's so cute. I love that you have her with you. I'm a child of a mechanic, and I'm able to do a majority of my home repairs alone. I'm going to do this.
She was not even close enough for her to be harmed from inhalation. Even if she was exposed to a little dust, he didn't purposely expose her or anticipate she would come that close. Don't be such a jerk. His work could save that same little girl from dying in a fire. At least he involves her and is a positive role model in her life.
😅 put some protective equipment on baby too Daddy!
Lol…I thought I invented this… I did this to our dryer duct about 10 years ago and have been doing this annually to insure dryer efficiency. Keep up the good work!
Sorry, I invented it. Can also use a reverse vacuum cleaner hose wrapped with cloth to seal it.
The ABSOLUTE BEST way to greatly reduce the fire hazard in most dryers is REPLACING the accordion style flexible ducting with SMOOTH sided sheet metal ducting... and also cleaning the inside of the dryer to get ALL debris out .Even using a blower will not remove ALL debris that’s clinging to the sides of flexible ducting and inside of the dryer...connect duct joints with aluminum tape, never screws or rivets,as lint will catch on these. And being an appliance that heats up, you can never eliminate the possibility of fire.
After the first blow out, I thought it was a pretty clean duct. Clearly I was wrong. What an amazing hack.
Yeah Mama, I would have called it a day there.
Well, your assistant is the absolute cutest! Well Done team!!
Oh my Gosh...so hilarious. He puts on safety glasses and a mask to keep himself safe, but watch his toddler daughter walking all around with absolutely no safety measures.
he probably has 2 kids ...
its all blowing in her face lol
He probably works in bureaucracy-management. I'm surprised he didn't tell the kid to look up into the dryer vent while he blows it out..
😆 talking about child abuse ....
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
It is really cool that you were wearing a mask yet let your young daughter stand and breathe in everything your pulling out . Good Job!
saw in other videos where the blower alone would not dislodge a lot of what was stuck. perhaps w/ a strong enuf blower and some specific dryer vent line configurations, this is all u'd need. this approach definitely adds to what other cleanout tools bring to the table.
Because your precious daughter was with you I wish I could give it 1000 thumbs up. 💯🙏🏼❤️😊
I cannot thank you enough for this incredible idea. We had been cleaning ours with multiple links of vent cleaner kit with brush on end. We were stymied by an elbow. Then the brush came off in the duct work. Had no idea beyond cutting ducts apart at seam to remove brush. Then I saw your video. We have a pro grade leaf blower. It blew brush out of pipe along with the remaining offending lint. Thank you!!!!
If you had that much lint in the ductwork, you really need to pull the back off the dryer and clean out the heating element area and the air paths in the internal ductwork. It is quite possible you will find a big wad of burned or charred lint in the heating element area.
It is common to have a dryer catch fire and possibly burn your house down.
My dryer is one that was my mothers and it failed to heat. I pulled the back off and found the element open and when I took the cover off the heating element it had a big wad of charred lint in it. Also a lot of lint in the internal ductwork, and $.37 in change in the dryer plus hardware that had been in pockets.
The dryer had not been cleaned in at least 35 years, since before my folks died. I also replaced the belt while I was at it, as the belt was about 40+ years old when it broke.
I use a 1' ft. section of corrugated metal flex tubing, as the dryer vent to outside is offset just about 6". My dryer backs right onto the vent pipe to the outside.
I also regularly clean the little "flaps' on the outside of the vent pipe that keep the rain and such out. They seem to attract damp lint. They are also flexible enough that I can gently bend them & remove them to check inside the pipe for any buildup.
I can reach my hand up in there & easily clean any lint stuck in the pipe out too.
TIP : When you replace a belt, heating element, pully, etc, write on the back of the dryer cover in felt pen the part number & make of the part you had to replace. Saves a lot of time and hassle when you need you need to repair it again!
In my case, it burned out the heating element in the dryer.
A 35 - 40 yr old dryer and it stills works-outstanding.. We had one that I kept going that was 25-30 yrs old but the ones you can buy now you're lucky if you can get 10-15 yrs out of them...
@@tonyjordan1320 We got a Maytag washer an dryer shortly after we bought our house so they're both about 33 or 34 years old. Never had any problem with either. Our Maytag fridge is similar vintage, but I've replaced the solenoid valve for the ice maker, and about 3 times the drain for the automatic defrosting has clogged up. Takes me about 30 minutes to clear the freezer, remove a panel and thaw the resulting ice. I'll take that over the gamble on what they're selling now.
I was coming to say the same thing! Ours had lint covering motor once, thank goodness a part went out and we found it. Since then I clean the inside every few months!
@@tonyjordan1320 Planned obsolescence. That's when corporate profits have priority over The Consumer. What would be the actual price increase for materials if a dryer were made to last 40+ years instead of 15?
Another excellent video to show why a dryer should be located on an exterior wall so your exit vent pipe is only about as long as the wall is thick.
Easier done with new construction. I have two rentals with the dryers in the hallway in the middle of the apartment. 🤦♀️ What were they thinking?
With dryer in a downstairs laundry room it has to blow upwards many feet and then turn at an angle. It's a pain.
They weren't.@@Dbb27
if any of the pipe is going through an uninsulated area like a craw space or attic, if you can insulate that part of the pipe it will help that part of the pipe from sweating from extreme temp changes, a sweating pipe collects more lint fast. @@mhzprayer
It's still clogged buddy! That lint door should be pegged open not partially. Buy a 20 dollar brush attachment that connects to a drill and you will see the blower doesn't clean the vent
Replace the transition duct that is made with foil as seen in the video with a semi-rigid transition duct. For the DIY person, use a rotating duct cleaning tool in combination with a wet-dry vac. This works really well. The homeowner's dryer should be opened and cleaned of accumulated lint as well. I am sure that there is a massive amount based on the condition of the exhaust duct.
Years ago in my old house we had a dryer fire which is the most common way that houses burn down! I had reminded my ex several times that the lint trap needs to be emptied EVERY TIME he used the dryer. He would ignore me. Well we were VERY lucky because the lint that was backed up into the dryer caught fire but was contained to just the dryer! It didn't spread probably because we didn't have a finished basement and there was nothing close by that could catch on fire. There was charred remnants in the actual dryer that I think were towels! When we did use the leaf blower to unclog the 10 ft run of the dryer vent line it took several attempts to get the clog out! When it did finally come out the wall vent it literally looked like it snowed in our yard there was so much lint!!
Plus by keeping the vent cleaned out or even usuable you are extending the life of your dryer! It won't take as long to dry your clothes which causes less stress on the machine AND lowers your utility bills (gas/electric)! Win-win
I don't know if anyone else's has commented on your beautiful daughter standing downwind of the lint trap and all the dirt she was potentially inhaling!
Then your older daughter sticking her hand in the dryer vent! From personal experience I know how sharp those edges could be! Plus now your kids now about the vent and will most likely consider it a new place to hide stuff or just mess with it!
This vid could actually be saving lives from house fires caused by blocked dryer venting!
You get a super hi-5 from me sir! (Pass it on to Kelsey too!)
I think one of the top five causes of home fires are dryers
I have never read or heard about actual dryer fires, in the machine or in the ducts. If there was a fire in the machine then most likely the machine was defective and would have caught fire with or without lint. Fire in the ducts? What started t?
This vid could actually be causing deaths because some idiot is going to come along and use a gas powered leaf blower. Not once did he say to use a battery leaf blower and some people aren't going to think about the differences.
Then they shall receive the Darwin Award
It's unbelievable how flammable dryer lint is. I actually save it in a ziplock bag and use it for fire starter to get campfires going. It works better than anything else I've tried, but it's scary that it's so combustible too.
I've been cleaning out these vents for 25 years with a dryer vent kit with extendable brushes from Amazon using the air pressure from the dryer running on air dry or no heat.
I had to trim one brush to half its diameter to avoid compacting the lint and then using a full sized brush to remove the remnants. The secret to success is to move forward a little at a time and then pull back to allow the lint to escape. If you go in too fast you can create a blockage and be forced to call a professional. Some vents are too long to be cleaned manually.
Warning: if you rotate the rods counter clockwise and unscrew them you will leave the brush stuck inside the vent.
I'm getting ready to do this, thank you for the info. Wouldn't have thought of either getting it stuck or what would happen if I rotate the rods counter clockwise! Also going to finish off with the blower. My vent is on my roof, which I find annoying!
But thank you.
Your supervisors are adorable. I always clean my filter after each load, but will check the outside vent. My dryer is over 30 years old and the ductwork has been replaced, but it's been a long time and could probably use a good cleaning. Thanks for the great tips.
I cringed when that beautiful child put her hand on the vent clapper valve. They can be very sharp. Luckily she did not get cut.
@@RickZepp gtfo with that overprotective bs. He's trying to make a video to be helpful and all you got is cringe. Did you learn everything from hearsay, textbooks and videos?
Thanks for the 'Poor Man's shortcut' to clean a dryer's duct work. (The clamp was a smart idea.)
Replacing the flexible duct is the best way to do the job.
You're wearing a dust mask, but your daughter is unprotected standing right next to you. Brilliant.
They are not standing there outside, they are in the house!!
Must be a libtard?
Shut up Karen
@@lorilore3516 What video were you watching? 🙄
@@mikebroome7373 haha true
It works!! Remove all the leaf blowers segments. If the shape of the blower base is not round, wrap a piece of translucent plastic foam
(the kind to wrap fragile things instead of bubble wrap) to act like pipe thread tape on a pipe, this will make a good flexible tight fit when inserted in the dryer vent aluminum tubing. It will take several tries and unclogging the outside vent each time but it's very satisfying!!!🎉
Thanks for the tip! I have a similar Makita blower and used it to blow mine out. I have 3 90 degree bends in mine (thanks Mr. Builder) and my cleaning kit cannot navigate the corners. The last duct cleaner who came out had trouble too! This did blow a massive amount of crud about 10 feet out and onto my lawn. Ducts are perfectly clean now and air flows stronger than ever!
Larry, that's awesome! So glad this video helped you, and thank you for letting me know!
We must have had the same builder as ours immediately bends 90 degrees upwards extends about 5 feet then takes another 90 degree bend and travels about 10 feet to the outside wall. Since we live on a slope our foundation at that spot outside is about 3ft requiring a 10 ft ladder to reach the duct. We are able to use a snake but have to clean it every 6 months. After the snake I use the exhaust portion of my vacuum by inserting the wand in. We don’t have a leaf blower but it’s a good idea to get one for this. I clean the dryer vent even during a drying cycle to try and eliminate it but it still accumulates. Since the dryer is set in an alcove we have to have a long flexible duct that needs an ‘s’ bend as we have to pull out the dryer and climb over it squeezing between the overhead built in oak cabinets and the top of the dryer back. I drop a small 3ft closed ladder so I can get back out as there isn’t enough space to open it up. I think architects and/or builders never think of how to maintain or clean features. Changing a spotlight bulb 25 feet in the ceiling requires a tall stepladder and a special long bulb changer. Our A/C vent is in the ceiling and I fell off the step stool onto a wood chest and fractured 4 ribs. The metal grate swings down and it holds a 20x25” filter so it’s unwieldy to hold it in place with one hand using your other hand to close it and then still needs both hands to twist the small knobs to secure it. I don’t even attempt to change the light bulbs in the hanging fixture in the stairwell.
I was looking into buying a Rotating Reverse Skipper Nozzle but I think you saved me $40-$50. We'll try this method. Thank you!
Thanks for the tutorial. I wanted to tackle this project, but was not sure how in-depth it would be. After watching, it looked pretty straight forward. I ended up ordering a 60 foot flexible dryer vent cleaning tool that connects to a drill, along with your blower suggestion, and all is good. I was surprised at how little time it took to complete. Your daughter looks like a great helper.
Where do you get children's ppe from?
Thanks for posting video. Leaf blower idea totally worked 👍
WOW, hard to believe that so much lint was packed in that duct ! I have been in my home 16 years as of next month, and the duct is STILL blowing freely to the outside through a louvered vent without a blowout such as this. I clean the drier filter at every load. The hose here, is only 4.5 feet distance to the outside vent from the rear of the dryer. In my case, I would simply change out the entire duct itself. Thanks for posting.
I went 21 years with no problem (always cleaned the lint trap after every load) that I was aware of and the previous occupants for 8 years would never have cleaned the ductwork and probably not the lint filter either. I simply never heard of duct cleaning, but it ducted directly through the exterior wall through the short flexible duct inside that I did clean out occasionally. My current house has a very long duct to the outside so after 15 years I think I better do something.
@@virginiamoss7045 That duct is begging to be cleaned/replaced as soon as possible......
@@tonyjordan1320 I don't know how to do it and in my rural area there are no companies that do that sort of thing. I could try to get such a person from a distant town, but I doubt it which is why I have been putting it off. I will try the blower, but if there's a lot of buildup, it won't work for the 13 feet of distance. I know to do something very soon.
@@virginiamoss7045 Do you have any male siblings or a good neighbor? 13 ft is a looong piece of dryer duct and add on the 15 yrs you can bet that it needs to be replaced ASAP..
@@virginiamoss7045 13 feet! After reading a lot of comments, this is my opinion. 1) Get some twins. 2) Someone warned that if the portable blower is non-variable, but only switches from Off to Max, then turning it On could pop open a joint in the duct -- but I would gamble with someone else's duct (I mean yours) that popping open a joint will only happen if the duct is truly blocked. 3) Every time Mr. Fixit went in from the outside with his Long Grabber, the duct kept producing more lint when he went back to the blower. So, only blowing until nothing else comes out is probably not sufficiently clearing out the duct, in fact it might compress some lint which could create a real blockage, later or sooner. So when the blower isn't finding any more lint, you should do the snake operation, which apparently will loosen up more lint.
It will take some creativity to figure out what you can push/pull through a 13 foot duct to loosen up more lint. Especially if the duct is corrugated plastic, you'll want something smooth and dull, not sharp, that you can thread through gently. Something that will absolutely slide over the corrugations. Regardless corrugated plastic or metal, If your snake gets hung up going through in one direction, instead of pushing harder and risking breaking something, try going in from the other direction. I keep thinking of a plumber's snake, you can do an image search for plumber's snake. They can have a hand-crank that you can turn slowly, which rotates the whole snake, to gently free it if it gets stuck on who-knows-what, but especially gently just in case it's getting stuck on the duct instead of some lint. You'll want the tip of the the snake to be soft, so maybe wrap some rags over the tip and tie them securely.
4) Since some lint is apparently reluctant to be blown out, then I think instead of one long blow, I think pulsing the blower might jar loose some additional lint. I might start with pulsing instead of one long blow. Hopefully, pulsing won't compress lint as much as one long blow, but who knows.
I just read another comment. Just in case you missed it, if the dryer is drying poorly, then there *is* a blockage, and the lint built up in the duct is probably moist and will be difficult to move out. When you poke with a snake, the hard, moist lint may push the snake into the wall of the duct. The duct may be softer than the giant clump of moist lint, making it even more likely the snake will break the duct's wall.
And since you're in a rural area, please adopt me. City living is a real bad habit.
Wow! That's a lot of lint! Thanks for this. And ..... that is one adorable assistant you have there!
If your dryer is over ~ 5 years old and you also like to use dryer sheets you may need to call in a pro. I got bored during the lockdown and decided to remove the front dryer panel to get to the blower fan that draws away the air and lint. Plus my clothes were taking way too long to dry. Wow, the impellers of the fan motor were caked with lint, as was the internal ductwork. After a good cleaning of the blower, the housing, and the duct work leading outside the drying time is reduced from about 45 minutes to 25 minutes. And those flex ducts are lint traps and reduce air velocity. Try to use rigid vent pipe wherever possible. Cheers.
Dryer sheets are toxic and leave toxic residue over your clothing and dryer. For static elimination, use wool dryer balls with a few drops of your favorite essential oil on them. Non toxic and smells great. Don't use fabric softener either, use straight up white vinegar in the rinse cycle and lastly, don't use a liquid detergent. Use powder.
I did this! Thank you! Saved me money and anxiety 😊
I thought about doing this same thing at my mom's house when I move closer. It's a good idea to do this because so many fires have started this way. That old dryer pumping hot air and you have a lot of lint in the line it's a ticking fire. . You do not have to pay a specialist to do this. It will probably take less then a half hour. And also this helps your dryer run better and last longer. Because all that excess heat is not building up in your dryer. Also you get to use your old blower for something else then chasing leaves around your yard.
Simple method, straight-forward presentation. I am 70 yrs old, and never thought of that.
maybe think about more stuff. How is it, being 70? im on my way(hopefully) to being 70 one day. Any information would be much appreciated. Live long and prosper!
At Walmart, they have a nice exactly the right size duct brush with like a 6-foot spring on the brush specially made for the dryer vent cleaning process for $ to $8 and it would make the perfect team with your electric leaf blower process. I see you have already gathered a ton of suggestions and comments, lots of experts out there!
Be careful, though. The compacted lint in my duct was sturdier than the duct itself was. If the dryer is drying very badly you can bet the lint is soggy and hard (and the dryer has to be torn apart enough to clean out the passages).
like an episode of Mr. Rogers Neighbor Hood with the little ones helping. Good information expressed in a cool format. God Bless the little ones and Dad too.
I did that with my electric leaf blower about 6 years ago. Worked great
Every 3-4 years I clean out the duct thinking I always do a thorough job but last summer my dryer blew the fuse that ran the dryer. In order to access the fuse I had to remove the large panel on the back of the dryer. Once removed I had a clear view of the blower which held a large accumulation of nearly solidified lint. The clog was so great it prevented the heated dryer exhaust from flowing causing the safety fuse to blow thus preventing a possible fire. My dryer is 19 years old and had never had the blower checked and cleaned.
That was extremely helpful. I have been wanting to find away to clean my dyer hose out. THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO DO IT. THANK YOU .😀😁
So Cute. Your helper Kate. Thank you for the video about cleaning the dryer vent.
I would recommend at the start to use a variable speed blower or bump the trigger to avoid the max air volume right away.
Dryer ducts are not “supposed” to be screwed together, instead only held together by a foil tape. A very high volume of air blown against a blockage could possibly cause a joint to separate partially or fully. Increase to high speed when some clean out has occurred.
The attention to cleaning the dryer exhaust duct is excellent as it improves dryer function and efficiency and may reduce the chance of a fire.
May I ask your opinion on the kits that include a snake with a rounded head brush for the vents for cleaning? Do you think those are feasible for the expandable dryer vent or just metal? So, use the brush first then cap it off with the blower.
@@dawnwerby5807 a brush kit and blower is a good combination..inspect your ducting after cleaning to be sure you didn't knock anything apart during
I would recommend installing sheet metal smooth walled dryer duct. Save that pretty little girl from a house fire.
Not sure where you got that misinformation from . Dryer vent should be secured to the dryer and the elbows with dryer vent clamps.
The best way to avoid fires is to make sure your dryer is vented properly with rigid 4 inch metal vent and the shortest run possible with the least amount of bends. The venting this guy has should be outlawed!
My husband uses a leaf blower for blowing leaves out of the gutters and off his car. Handy little sucker. Will have to try this.
A couple years ago the dryer dried very badly. I had to disassemble the dryer to clean the passages (as F K Burnham mentions) and disassemble the duct. The lint had become wet enough to make a soggy compacted mass. Leaf blowers and brushes were not going to get it; I had to scrape it out. Fortunately it was in a part of the crawl space where it was practical to simply haul the duct into the yard.
Very helpful video you made here. I am getting a new dryer and need to clean out my dryer duct. Thank you
Wow!! I can’t believe how much came out of it! I’m doing mine tomorrow. My error code has come on twice so I’m excited to see how much lint and dust/dog hair etc I get out of it. Love the way you add a little sense of humor in there. And those baby girls are beautiful. It’s great to see you include them in these videos. My twins are about to turn 25 but I remember well, the toddler years. They craved helping out and learning things. Way to go Dad. 😃🙏🏻🕊
wow!!... I can't believe somebody actually allowed their vent to get that clogged... what are you drying?,... a pulp mill ?
Actually, the flexible vent tubing is very inexpensive, maybe about $15. I just replace mine every 5 or 6 yrs. I also blow/brush out the remaining 2 ft. of the rigid/solid duct and vent louvers.
My guess is she lived.
You people are all insanely stupid. A dirty exhaust vent does not cause the fire. You need to remove the heating element of the dryer and clean it out of the lint that has backed up at the heater. Over time the heater element or flame area gets very dirty with lint build up.
@@rmee5165 Beware of cheap bath towels.
Love how you Work with your Daughter ! She is Lucky Girl , Great Job Mr Fixit
Love her PPE
First I clean the dryer with a vacuum, ( shop vac if you have one instead of your house vacuum that will then need to be cleaned out).
Both the dryer rear exhaust AND ALSO remove the screen to clean out hidden build up using a crevice tool. Use a flashlight to see as much as possible.
I found a lot in my nephew's. It was a MAJOR FIRE HAZARD
Another comment posted mentioned opening dryer and checking the fan blades and everything. This might be necessary if you found a lot of build up or suspect or want peace of mind knowing it is all clean.
Next vacuum the exhaust path with a hose as far as you can. I have a 10 foot hose on my shop vac. You can buy hose if you only have your house vacuum. If the path is 5 - 10 feet this is fine but if longer you need to do it also from outside.
Reconnect the dryer and go outside.
Remove the vent cover and vacuum as far as you can.
If you found very little build up you are probably done, run the dryer and observe what now comes out. If CLEAN AND STRONG air flow, put the cover back.
If you found a lot, try running the dryer and observe. IT MIGHT push the last stuff out and be good, but if it is not blowing CLEAN AND STRONG you might need to vacuum with a longer hose, or investigate the path (under the house or through walls or attic ) to find a place to disassemble and vacuum.
MAYBE NOW USE THE LEAF BLOWER.
LONG RUNS MUST NOT BE FLEXIBLE HOSE ! Lint builds up in the ridges.
You need CLEAN AND STRONG air flow.
Lint build up is a FIRE HAZARD !
Good Luck
God Bless You
Be safe ( eye & breathing protection )
The number one reason I never use flex hose for dryers. Dryer lint goes up in flames instantly from one small spark. Great for starting campfires...bad because it causes house fires. My rtrash barrel is away from my dryer too so if someone misses the barrel, the lint doesn't go under the dryer and get sucked into the heat chamber. A fire inside your dryer when clothes are nearly dry is a sight you don't want to see. Taking the back plate off the dryer is just as easy and you can really get all the lint out. Good video.
That foil duct is dangerous, as it easily catches the lint on the sides. I replaced mine with solid vent pipe, and sealed all the joints with aluminum tape. I clean it out yearly, and it only takes 1 blow through. There is not a lot of residue in the smooth duct, unlike your lint trapper.
Foil tape is overkill. If your vent is routed properly it’s not needed.
@@MichaelRei99- True, but I am an old fuddy- duddy, so the little bit of HVAC foil tape that I use gives me peace of mind that I am not having any dust blowing out of minute cracks or crevices.
Wow! So much came out. Now I will check mine more frequently.
I like how you protect yourself I guess that's not your favorite kid since she has nothing on but yet all the dust was blowing straight to her face keep up the good work buddy.
They are in the house and you are looking at the film of what happened when they were in the house.
That is the cutest helper I've ever seen. Good tip too.
An indication for time to clean the duct is when the dryer taken more time to dry or the room getting more humid than usual. Don't forget to cleanout the dryer and what's underneath as well.
Just clean it in the fall and spring with a shop vac no big deal.
Tried it, Wow.🙂It worked very well !! We did not use a clamp to hold open the hatch. We did however use duct tape, worked like a champ! Thank you for your great idea!
Also, if you have an air compressor, stick the compressor hose in the slot after removing the lint screen, and shoot some air through there and you'll see a bunch of lint come out the back of the dryer. I've also found a leaf blower handy for cleaning snow off of sidewalks without having to resort to shoveling (though doesn't work well with wet snow) and for cleaning out rain gutters without having to resort to a water hose. It does a much better job and is cleaner, but you can't really do it from a ladder, so you have to get out on the roof.
Pro tip for sure
also use the air compressor with a long noble to clean fridgerator coils. cover fridgerator with a wet sheet to collect the dust.
You have to be careful when putting pressure air in the lint trap some dryers have sensors there or the blower blades can be damage if to bridle best way remove dryer put brush from inside with shop vac as far as you can from inside then put blower and brush rhe rest from the outside so avoid middle clogges
Compressed air typically doesn’t have the volume to do what you’re trying to do here. The leaf blower on a variable speed is a much better idea. Start out slow and I wouldn’t put it at full power unless you’re just in the rigid pipe section
@@toddedward2710 You're probably right. I used the air compressor because it just happened to be sitting right there and I thought, "Let me try this" and it worked. I just used it using short bursts of air and it got the job done.
Holy mackerel! That was amazing. Too bad I sold my leaf blower when I sold my house and moved to a condo. I still have a small blower that I'll try.
Thanks for this tip. Your assistant was too cute.
Take care and stay safe. 🤟🏼🖖🏼
My condo association requires every homeowner clean out their dryer vent ducts annually with proof of bill by hired company.
Pretty good video overall with an interesting take on cleaning. Far too many people here criticising, they should make their own videos if they have the talent to do so....🤔
Thanx again
I’ll just protect myself as my toddler daughter inhales all of the dust that I don’t want to. Open your eyes and take a deep breath Kelsey, you don’t want to miss a thing. Lol, Good tutorial though
That is all I noticed. You can see the wind was blowing it directly at her as well.
I thought the same thing.
And he's using a paper mask which will do nothing. He really needs a n95 properly fitted to keep the dust out. His stupidity is going to harm those kids in the long run.
I would credit the excellent job to your assistant. I will give this a try before I spend the money on a brush kit.
Thanks
I had a friend up in Idaho lose his home due to clogged dryer vent determined to be the source of ignition. It's good to stay on top of inspections and scheduled cleanings.
lol $400 to get one dryer duct cleaned. Happily taking donations :)
@@SuperDubess For non DIYers, it's a bargain. Insurance doesn't cover everything and I've two friends lose everything in fires. The memorabilia that can never be recovered. When they would talk about it, they were very emotional about it. Not so much the dryer vent fire, but two different others. On the flip side, there are people who don't care..
What an adorable assistant. High Five!
I need to do this Thanks for the info which I never thought of using a leaf blower. I hope you make more video.
Koniecznie❤
Your daughter is adorable and the hack a good idea. While you were masked your daughter was standing in the direction of the debris that you were pulling out the first time though. Suggestion: stand her upwind or mask her too!
Speaking only as someone that owns rental properties and several laundromats..the ducting is not commonly where a fire starts. It is where the fire can spread, however. The most overlooked and under-cleaned location for dryer lint is the ducting path from the lint screen to the exit behind the dryer. How many times have you undone the front panel of your dryer and cleaned out that pathway..which happens to be the pathway just inches from the dryer's heat source? In our laundromats, we clean the dryer's out based on how many hours they run. In our rental properties, we clean 1x yearly. Usually in the Fall.
It's hard to find good help nowadays. Thank goodness Kate is there to shore up the effort!
I like your eye and nose protection. The kid, however, should not have been there inhaling the dust you were trying not to inhale.
good thing YOU wore safety equipment while you're young child stands down wind without.. Real Genius
I had my through second floor dryer duct stop up after 25 years in my last house. I used a shop vac to get what I could from inside the house. I then turned the shop vac to blow full blast as I went outside to remove the duct cover and stick a broom handle and then a painting extension to work the old black lint out as the shop vac blew from inside. It was a mess and I was covered with lint after I created air passage and it emptied all at once. I was lucky not to have had a house fire. The clue that you have a problem is when the dryer overheats and blows a fuse.
Your helper was fantastic and a cutie….and a swell learner 👍🏻🧸
I like how you are saying wear a mask but your toddler is standing right there getting the lint dust in her face lmao. As far as the idea thank you. I will have to try it.
Good video, I move the washer and dryer about every 12 months, clean underneath and vacuum the vent, clean the floor and walls. Check drains and hoses
Too funny, "I am gonna mask up here" and the little girl is in the path of the dust debris!
Interesting method - I might try it because I love my leaf blower [electric corded Toro Power-Jet F700].
This looks easy to do. Now to get a leaf blower. Seems worth it compared to hiring a contractor. Thanks!
Sure glad you told me to “pull the trigger” on the leaf blower. Otherwise I would of sat there all day waiting for something to happen !
Gave me the idea of blowing it out rather than sucking it through, which seems like the better way to do it - thanks!
My dryer vent goes straight up through the roof and is ducted outside that way. Once a year, I call in a chimney sweep to take care of it. Cheaper than having a house fire.
You can still use a leaf blower
That was genius!! Worked awesome. I wish I wore a mask like you did!
Why would you have the baby so close where the dust is flying in her direction?
Because HE’S wearing a mask😂🤣
@@yermailmain206 Exactly
I have a powerful battery-powered electric leaf blower and had never thought of doing this. Gotta try it.
Just have the little one look straight into the outlet when you pull the trigger.😲 At least your protected!!! 😂 Glad I clicked on this one, I got a good laugh. Now on the serious side, keep your dryer vent clean, a filled vent tube can catch on fire!!
Thank you for sharing. That’s a Awesome tip. U & your girls are a great team.
My dryer has a couple of elbows followed by a straight section of smooth ducting about 10-ft long to the exhaust, where the flap closure is easily removed. I've had good results putting a small shop towel on the end of a 10' length of stiff wire chucked in a cordless drill. Running the dryer while I ran the rotating towel in and out made the straight section clean as new. Extending the wire with a couple feet of old speedometer cable (very flexible) to the towel let me extend my reach into the curves as well. Many dryers also have internal cavities in the exhaust path that will pack up with lint, especially with the wax in fabric softeners, so this can be another problem area that requires some cleanout work on the dryer.
Wow! That was awesome. Will certainly give it a try for sure!
I use my shop vac exhaust. Works well for general cleaning. Do it a couple times a year as dust fires are not a lot of laughs.
lol
Kate is adorable. This looks like it really works! Thanks
A dryer duct only collects that much junk if it hasn't been maintained properly, or it was poorly designed with many sharp bends and flex tubing. If possible, you want the shortest straight run of solid metal duct possible (not the flexible cheap stuff that is a known fire hazard). Then make a schedule for cleaning it at least twice per year and stick to the schedule. Dryer fires are a common source of home fires, and it is wise to never leave a dryer running if you leave the house. And btw, using a leaf blower on a poorly made dryer duct may give you more problems than just a yard full of lint balls. If that duct work comes loose inside walls or a basement or an attic, not only will you have an immediate mess but if the duct is not repaired you will be blowing lint into your home every time you use the dryer.
Hard pipe is the way to go.
Dryer fires are rare and represent only 4% of residential household fires in the United States according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S., accounting for 51% of all residential building fires.
What do you do when the dryer vent is on the roof??
Where is the baby's mask and glasses?
Exactly!
You have a great helper. Your idea with blower was great.
Two points to consider; first - that mask is NOT suitable for that kind of nuisance dust nor biologic pathogens (read the box). Second, why did you "mask up" and ignore your daughter's respiratory well-being? Keep your children away from dust of any kind as they are way more susceptible to lung irritation than adults. You can get nylon brushes similar to those used by a chimney sweep to do a much more thorough job without the noise.
mr. rodgers with a leaf blower. well done.
I have found using 4 inch metal pipe stays cleaner its smoother and in the event of a fire is a LOT safer than that foil hose plus will clean out much better never use a screw to put the sections together use the foil tape any thing protruding into the duct will catch lint and stop up at that point .
I started using the metal pipe after a coworker lost his home to a dryer fire and they pinpointed it to a clogged dryer hose. They cost more than the foil/plastic ones but its worth it to avoid a dryer fire.....
Never thought about a leaf blower. Just had to replace our dryer because the heater blew out. When the new one was put in they found six pounds of birdseed inside the vent. They put in a new tubing and put a vent cover on outside. Chipmunks easy life style is over, warm place with plenty of food is over. Thank for your tip on the leaf blower, just bought a new one too.🙋♀️
If a proper metal ductwork is used, not the fire hazard prone flexible ductwork, you use a shop vac with an extended hose. You feed the hose though the exhaust until comes out the other side. If you clean your dyer filter after each load and have proper metal ductwork, you shouldn't have to clean the ductwork. The flexible ductwork creates crevices where lint can build up. Proper metal ductwork is straight pipe that has way less of a chance of lint buildup. I pull out the dryer once year and use a shop vac to clean the exhaust for the dryer and base of the ductwork. There's not much debris, because I clean the filter after each load and the metal ductwork. I don't think that flexible pipe meets code for most municipalities. It should only be used for short runs and not in wall, ie used for connecting the dryer to proper metal ductwork.
Too many ifs. Not everybody has the perfect scenario. Must work with what you have and do the best job you can. If the Queen had balls she would be the King.
Thanks, I may have to borrow my brother in law's leaf blower andctryvthis. Our dryer run is extremely long, though, so I'm not sure this will work as well.
As others have noticed…why cover up with mask and glasses with ZERO protection for the child right next to you?
the way to handle that is to pull the kid 15 - 20 feet away and tell them to watch from a distance. OTOH, my grandson would want his own safety gear.
Kids are just props today. So many nitwits making videos, it's pathetic!
My father in laws house. The hose was too long and kinked. Installed by professionals. I cut the hose to the right length and used his leaf blower. Looked like snow. Works perfectly now.
I will blow out my dryer vent with a leaf blower because of this video.
I believe in safety equipment, especially safety glasses. But if Mr. Fixit needed glasses and a mask for his procedure, how come his little girl who was with him didn't?
Gotta Go Do Mine Now, I never thought about this, Thank You For The Tip !!
2:38 mark. Safety first as your child is right next to you unprotected. SMH
Your daughter is adorable! And thank you so much for making this video, it was just what I needed :D
Not a bad idea but if there’s any compromise in the flexible ducting (like a small hole), you could make it worse by over-pressurizing the ductwork and then all of a sudden you’ve got a hole that you either don’t know about and/or can’t fix unless you replace the whole thing. Regardless, it IS advisable to clean out your dryer ducting on a regular basis to prevent the risk of fire.
Whatever you're already paying her, your assistant deserves a raise.