In this guide, I will discuss steps on how to clean dryer vent with a leaf blower.
Just like any other machine, a clothes dryer needs maintenance which involves removing lint from time to time.
A leaf blower is a versatile tool that can be used to do a number of tasks that it was not designed for.
It is designed initially to blow grass or leaves, and this means that you’ll use the blower only a couple of times a year.
Instead of your leaf blower lying idle in the store, you can use it for other purposes, for instance, cleaning a dryer vent.
Check my previous post on how to remove a flow restrictor from a kitchen faucet.
Other tasks that a leaf blower can perform include snow clearing, threading pipes, among others.
What Is Lint In A Dryer Vent?
What is lint, and how does it get into the dryer vent?
Understanding lint before removing it is essential in this project.
It is a collection of tiny fibers left by the clothes during the drying and washing process.
As you wash the clothes, the fibers get detached from clothes alongside the dirt because of the friction.
Most of this lint remains on the clothes because they are still wet.
The lint fibers are detached from the clothes once they go through the dryer.
However, you don’t have to worry since dryers have screens to catch the lint.
When Should You Remove Lint From A Dryer Vent?
There several reasons why you should remove lint from time to time from the dryer.
The most common reason why you should remove lint from your dryer is that it’s flammable and can become a fire hazard.
Research has shown that one of the causes of house fires is lint from the dryer.
Excess buildup of lint reduces the rate of airflow in the clothes dryer leading to reduced performance.
The other reason is too much lint in the dryer vent can develop mildew and mold in the room’s walls.
For the above reasons, ensure you clean the lint screen after some time, depending on how frequently you use it.
Steps On How To Clean Dryer Vent With A Leaf Blower
1. Locate the dryer vent and remove the hose
The initial step is to access the dryer vent by dragging the dryer away from the wall so that you work from behind it.
Once you access the vent, remove the hose from the air vent. You can perform this task with or without any tools depending on the dryer model.
2. Remove the cover
The second step is removing the outer vent cover. This cover allows air escape from the room.
Removing the cover ensures the air blowing through the pipe does not create a lot of pressure that can damage the tubing or the leaf blower.
You may need to loosen the screws holding the cover.
3. Clean the outside part
Once you’ve removed the cover, now clean the outside of the air vent manually.
Use a brush or vacuum cleaner to remove the stubborn dust that has accumulated on the cover.
4. Insert the leaf blower and create a seal
Once you’ve cleaned the outside, put the leaf blower into the dryer’s air vent.
A gas-powered blower does the job well as long you set the low settings.
You can also use Electric and cordless but avoid the backpack leaf blowers since they are not convenient and take a lot of space.
Do not start with the highest settings to avoid causing damage to the vent duct.
Ensure you seal the vent area around the leaf blower nozzle using a towel or duct tape or any other material that will prevent air from escaping beyond the nozzle.
5. Turn on the leaf blower
Once you are through with the above steps, turn on the leaf blower.
Switch on and off several times to ensure that everything is okay, then blow continuously for around 30 seconds.
6. Inspect if the outside is clean
After turning off the leaf blower, check whether the outside area has any lint that was expelled.
Clean the area again as you did in earlier in step 3.
If you notice there is some lint left in the vent, repeat step 5 until all the lint is out.
7. Return everything back
Once you have blown all the lint from the vent, take out the leaf blower then return all the other parts to their respective areas.
This step includes screwing back the external cover and attaching the vent back to the dryer.
You can now return your dryer to its usual space in the room.
Is It Safe To Clean The Dryer Vent With A Leaf Blower Yourself?
Some people say that it is not recommended to clean the dryer vent yourself because the hot air can create a spark that can cause a fire.
However, if your dryer vent has the features below, then a leaf blower will be ideal.
· Not a concertina-style pipeline
If it has concertina–style piping, the lint tends to stick on the folds, so using a leaf blower will not remove the lint.
A non-concertina style ducting will be ideal to use a leaf blower.
· Brief pipeline
In cases where your clothes dryer has brief piping, the leaf blower will be ideal.
If the vent is too long, then the blower will not be helpful.
· Straight pipeline
If your pipeline is not straight, a leaf blower may not be able to remove the lint from the dryer vent.
Final Thoughts On How To Clean Dryer Vent With A Leaf Blower
Having a leaf blower can do you some good when it comes to how to clean dryer vent with a leaf blower.
Understanding the steps will help you use the leaf blower to your advantage.
However, make sure that your dryer has the advisable feature before planning to use the blower.
Always have a fire extinguisher near you in case you notice the smoke.