Why You Probably Shouldn’t Clean Your Dryer Air Vent With a Leaf Blower

You should clean your dryer vent about once a year, and while this can be a bit of an inconvenience, it’s important to know that the much-touted lint-cleaning hack with a leaf blower is a bad idea. Besides not being very effective for several reasons, traditional dryer vent cleaning methods are not difficult, there are potential hazards you can create by using a leaf blower instead of the proper equipment.

You may have seen a video of someone blowing out dryer vents surprisingly quickly with a leaf blower, but this trick only works if you have a straight vent with smooth sides without screens so there are no obstructions to lint and dust. debris moving through ventilation. However, this is a rare setup, so not everyone should try.

If your vent has any screens, rough sides, bends, or other obstructions, it can cause lint to collect into a tight plug in the vent. This lint blockage will obstruct airflow and can lead to more serious problems. Kits designed to clean dryer vents won’t cause this problem and only cost $15 to $20 at the hardware store. They will come with brushes that loosen lint stuck in the crevices and crevices of the vents rather than pushing them further, similar to how a chiminea brush works.

If there is a sealed plug of lint and other debris in the dryer vent, it can cause problems with the dryer, including overheating and straining the fan that blows air through the vent. It can also trap moisture and cause a musty smell, and it can also take longer to dry clothes. While many dryers have sensors that will cause them to turn off if the vent is clogged, this is a problem in itself if you’re trying to dry clothes. You can also overheat and potentially damage your dryer. Overheating can also burn clothing or melt synthetic fabrics.

In the worst case, you can overheat the dryer or vent and start a fire. The densely packed pile of lint not only traps hot air inside the dryer, but is also very flammable. In the event of a fire, excess fluff in the vent can act as fuel, causing the fire to spread through the vent and possibly onto your structure, as well as endangering any nearby plants. To prevent dryer fires, the best way to clean the air vents is to use a specially designed brush. You can also purchase kits that are designed to attach to most vacuum cleaners, and they can make cleaning long vents or holes with twists and turns a little easier. If you must use a blower, do yourself a favor and use a vent sight camera , which costs about $40, to make sure the job is done and there are no blockages inside the system.