One of the most overlooked maintenance issues that we’ve found in homes involves an appliance that we use just about every day. Cleaning and updating your clothes dryer vent will not only keep your dryer running efficiently but it’s also a safety issue.

Clothes Dryer Showing an Error Code

I was contacted by a client that was concerned that their dryer was not drying efficiently and was blinking an error code. My client stated,  “I’ve always had trouble with our clothes dryer and it drying fast. I got a new dryer a year or two ago, but clothes were still taking quite awhile to dry. Often we got an error code on our dryer that indicated a blockage in the airflow system.”

After a thorough inspection to confirm the error code, I discovered that the dryer hose was filled with lint as was the dryer vent (the part that is linked to the outside that exhausts the air) and was completely clogged. This is why the clothes weren’t drying efficiently and it was a very serious fire hazard.

You can see in the picture below, the dryer vent is screwed onto the exterior of the house and could not be cleaned without removing it. This is very inconvenient and sometimes impossible to clean for most folks.

Replace the Dryer Hose and Vent

The dryer hose could have been cleaned, but they are so inexpensive that I always recommend replacement. After the hose replacement I recommended cleaning it every month or two. The dryer vent, however, definitely needed replaced. It was completely clogging and not allowing air to exhaust. This reduced the efficiency of the dryer and created condensation, which is a mold hazard. More importantly, it was a major fire hazard.  It also couldn’t be cleaned without taking it apart. We replaced the vent with a more efficient one that could easily be cleaned so it will never clog.