Dryer Wisdom

The best way to dry clothes is in the open air. They smell great and on the average they last longer because the fibers don't get scorched. In addition, the power bill is lower.

The truth is, in our everyday life, drying clothes outside is not practical even though, one hundred years ago, the sun and wind dried 97% of all clothes. Either the space is not there or there are local covenants against it. So, like it or not, we have electric or gas-powered clothes dyers.

There are two basic types of powered dryers, electric and gas burner/electric, and both are vented outside to get rid of lint and moisture. The new washer/dryer combination are stackable which eliminates some space problems.

Cleaning the vents on a regular basis is very important as a build up of lint may cause a fire because it can back up into the dryer and cause a nest of combustible material. With airborne particles of hot lint touching heat source this could provide a fuse to this powdery build up. And even if a fire will not happen there could be costly dryer repairs.

Venting Tips:

- The vent should go directly outdoors to combat moisture.

- Clean out the lint trap before each drying cycle.

- Use smooth pipe and not accordion tubing. Lint and water will get trapped in the folds and mold may build up.

- Clean pipes on both end at least twice a year.

- Use as few angles as possible.

- Tape the pipe together with a metal tape and not screws that can snag lint.

- Use proper pipe hangers to attach pipe to joists

Accordion piping also wastes energy because the airflow hits a long section of corrugated surace that slows the flow down considerably. Also, condensation can get caught in the flex pipe and wet lint can plug the vent and allow water to drip back into the dryer. This can cause mold and also corrosion to dryer parts.

As with any other appliance regular dryer inspections and clean-outs will enable your dryer to operate efficiently and for a long time.