Dryer Vent

[Tina]

I live in a townhouse in the 2nd unit from the end. The end unit is rented by a fairly odd, anti-social couple. I rarely walk around the end of the buidling on their side, except when taking my lawn mower around to mow my back lawn. I just came in from mowing and noticed that their dryer vent on the side of their unit has a ton of lint hanging out of it and a few small piles on the lawn up against the house. I looked at mine and a few other nearby neighbors and did not see this. Does this mean their vent is clogged? One of my greatest fears is a fire started by lint in the vent. I clean my lint screen after every load and vaccum the vent once per year. Please don't let them burn the block down!!

 

[mikehn]

Sounds like it is clogged. Is the vent low to the ground, such that you can reach in and unclog it yourself?

 

[jel0511]

It sounds like it may be clogged. Question how does one vacuum their dyrer vent?

 

[Tina]

Sounds like it is clogged. Is the vent low to the ground, such that you can reach in and unclog it yourself?

I suppose I could, but I can't reach all the way in. It needs to be completely cleaned.

 

[Tina]

It sounds like it may be clogged. Question how does one vacuum their dyrer vent?

I pull out the dryer, remove the hose from the wall, and stick my long vacuum hose in there as far as it will go. At my old house, we would do the same thing on the other end, only we couldn't actually access to outside vent (under the deck). So DH would take apart the hose near the end of the line in the basement ceiling and vacuum from there. Even with cleaning the screen reguarly, you'd be amazed at how much makes it down the hose.

 

[karibritt01]

I would either a) knock on their door and let them know. I'm sure they don't want a dryer fire any more than you do. Or b) let the maintainence staff or management know that you noticed the problem, and let them handle it.

 

[Tina]

I'm a chicken. I just left a note on their front door (anonymous). This is a townhome community, not an apartment. We don't have maintenance or management. They rent, but I have no idea who the owner is.