Your Clothes Dryer's Vent Pipe

The company's main business is carpet cleaning but they also do ductwork. There's a co. in town that's highly rated but couldn't get an appt. 'til next week so I went with the guy I got. Shoulda been more patient but patience isn't my virtue.

Got this guy thru the Home Advisor co. Maybe that's a mistake. One time I went to them for someone to split firewood. Guy who showed up obviously never did it before ... he came with a chain saw, an electric one to boot, to split logs!!!!
 

Damaged Goods said:
Lotta interesting suggestions here, but with the problems with my upper extremities, I got a pro. $255. First, he vacced the back of the dryer for 25 mins. I noticed that the vertical portion of the tube was detached from the elbow that leads directly to outside. Didn't say anything, figured he knew what he was doing.

Next he went outside and vacced for 5 minutes and left.

I went back to the basement and saw that the vertical portion was still detached. o_O I ain't any blue collar genius but knew that was wrong. Got him to return and attach it.

But now it dawns on me: I wonder if when he vacced from outside, the vac hose got into the vertical tube or just dangling in space.

(Incidentally, he showed up two hrs. late, was clumsy, and seemed to be rushing.)
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This is exactly why my husband does most everything.

Being charged $255 for the service you required is disgraceful.
 
When I saw this thread, a couple of days ago, I was reminded that I hadn't cleaned my appliances in over a year. So, yesterday, I went through the house and cleaned the refrigerator coils/fan, pulled the stove forward, and cleaned under it, then went through the washer/dryer in the laundry room. The washer/dryer took the longest, due to the fairly tight space in the laundry room. The dryer vent hose had a small amount of lint buildup, but nothing drastic. I did have to trim and shorten the flexible vent hose, because the guys who installed it, last year, when we got a new set, just "crunched" the hose behind the dryer, and it had a bit of a "kink" in it. I think next time I go to Lowe's, or Home Depot, I will get a new hose, and carefully install it properly.
 

Damaged Goods said:
The company's main business is carpet cleaning but they also do ductwork. There's a co. in town that's highly rated but couldn't get an appt. 'til next week so I went with the guy I got. Shoulda been more patient but patience isn't my virtue.

Got this guy thru the Home Advisor co. Maybe that's a mistake. One time I went to them for someone to split firewood. Guy who showed up obviously never did it before ... he came with a chain saw, an electric one to boot, to split logs!!!!
Click to expand...
Home Advisor charges people to list their business with them. The business has to pass on the extra cost to the customer.
I prefer to read many "Yelp" reviews, then check Contractors Licenses, Insurance, Worker's Comp, etc. with the License Board.
Then, talk price & payment schedule & determine my comfort level with them.
I also let them know I'm a "Yelp" & Google reviewer. When they get real excited & happy about that, I remind them of two important things:
1. I've been told I write very well.
2. Reviews can be a double-edge sword. If I'm not happy, I'll write that very well, too. Then I invite them to read my reviews - including the ones that make them very nervous.

What happens is, they're warned beforehand & they do a very good job.
 
Don M. said:
When I saw this thread, a couple of days ago, I was reminded that I hadn't cleaned my appliances in over a year. So, yesterday, I went through the house and cleaned the refrigerator coils/fan, pulled the stove forward, and cleaned under it, then went through the washer/dryer in the laundry room. The washer/dryer took the longest, due to the fairly tight space in the laundry room. The dryer vent hose had a small amount of lint buildup, but nothing drastic. I did have to trim and shorten the flexible vent hose, because the guys who installed it, last year, when we got a new set, just "crunched" the hose behind the dryer, and it had a bit of a "kink" in it. I think next time I go to Lowe's, or Home Depot, I will get a new hose, and carefully install it properly.
Click to expand...
Don, I just did that for my mother in law. Take a good look at the dryer vent hose your buying . I bought a kit which included the outside flappers the hose and hose clamps. It was so totally worthless. I laid it all out and I could hear my father talking to me in my mind "saying you're not going to put that in are you?" In all good conscious I couldn't and what I purchased was the best of the group I looked at. I took it back. I think you are probably much like me and only want to do it once (and right), so I was sharing my experience.
 
Our dryer is in the finished half of the basement. The vent can be accessed for regular cleaning from the unfinished room. Once a year DH goes outside and vacuums the whole line. Since I always clean the filter screen after every use, there’s very little build up.

When I used dryer sheets, I noticed I had to wash the filter quite often. Wonder how much of this goes into the vent too. It would make cleaning harder.
 
fmdog44 said:
Lint will ignite like gasoline. Pay a professional to do it. don't save a dime to spend a dollar. There are brushes you can buy to insert in to the lint hole to clean you dryer.
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Something came up in the whole house inspection for the manufactured home I'm buying in a park. The vent material was too flimsy. Who would you call, what kind of repair person, to look at this and probably replace that vent tubing?

When I owned a house the dryer was right next to the garage back door and it just vented outside. When I sold the house, it needed to be put through the garage wall under the house and vent outside.
 
SeaBreeze said:
I only do mine every couple of years, I move the dryer out enough to get behind and disconnect the hose, then vacuum it out with a vacuum attachment. Like others here, I clean the lint filter after every load and wash that off a couple of times a year.

I try to do that to my refrigerator once a year, I pull it away from the wall, shut off and unplug, remove back panel and gently vacuum out any dust. Honestly, I try to put off any chores like this until I feel it's necessary, I'm no Suzy Homemaker. :)
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I can easily move the fridge in my apartment since it's on wheels. I don't know if I will be able to move the dryer in the new place. They are leaving all appliances I believe. But I want to make sure that dryer vent is safe. There is a spot behind the manufactured home where I think I can sneak and line dry my laundry in the summer. I do that on my patio in my apartment now.
 
Damaged Goods said:
Lotta interesting suggestions here, but with the problems with my upper extremities, I got a pro. $255. First, he vacced the back of the dryer for 25 mins. I noticed that the vertical portion of the tube was detached from the elbow that leads directly to outside. Didn't say anything, figured he knew what he was doing.

Next he went outside and vacced for 5 minutes and left.

I went back to the basement and saw that the vertical portion was still detached. o_O I ain't any blue collar genius but knew that was wrong. Got him to return and attach it.

But now it dawns on me: I wonder if when he vacced from outside, the vac hose got into the vertical tube or just dangling in space.

(Incidentally, he showed up two hrs. late, was clumsy, and seemed to be rushing.)
Click to expand...
REVISIT: The pro I wanted originally arrived and quoted $150. After cleaning, he was unhappy with the first guy using duct tape (my duct tape, by the way). He also said that the 90 degree elbows at the bottom of the dryer and the top where it vents outside should be replaced. He went back to the shop to get two new elbows and aluminum tape.

No additional charge.

The dryer and I lived happily ever after.
 
Damaged Goods said:
REVISIT: The pro I wanted originally arrived and quoted $150. After cleaning, he was unhappy with the first guy using duct tape (my duct tape, by the way). He also said that the 90 degree elbows at the bottom of the dryer and the top where it vents outside should be replaced. He went back to the shop to get two new elbows and aluminum tape.

No additional charge.

The dryer and I lived happily ever after.
Click to expand...
Better.

Good on the aluminum tape, which I know is expensive, but the best and safest option.
 

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