Dryer Vent Cleaning for a Dryer Vent on the Roof

During the recent quarantine, we all spent more time at home and with our families. For most of us, this means we did more laundry each week than ever before. As the dryer in your home worked overtime, your dryer vents collected extra debris. Without dryer vent cleaning, you risk the possibility of multiple big problems. But how do you do this cleaning with a dryer vent on the roof?

Why is dryer vent cleaning so important?

Proper dryer care and maintenance are essential because this home appliance uses electricity and operates at such a high temperature. This makes a malfunctioning dryer a significant fire hazard. In fact, almost 3,000 dryer fires occur each year in the U.S., causing about $35 million in property damage. These fires also result in injuries and deaths.

Besides those caused by fire risk, poorly maintained dryer ventilation could lead to other types of injuries. Without professional cleaning, a blocked dryer vent can cause dangerous gases to leak back into your home. This pollutes your household air and negatively impacts your family’s health.

Should I hire professionals for my dryer vent cleaning?

Professional cleaning is particularly vital for a dryer vent on the roof. Besides the risks associated with not doing a thorough job of this cleaning, maintaining a roof vent can lead to serious injury. Your North Dallas-based pros at Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning have the right tools and experience to get this job done safely and correctly.

Steps for Cleaning a Dryer Vent on the Roof

Proper vent cleaning by the professionals extends the life of your dryer, reduces energy use, prevents fire, and keeps your household air clean. This cleaning involves more than removing excess lint, particularly in a home with a dryer vent on the roof.

Below are some of the steps that Superior’s professionals follow, specifically when cleaning your home’s rooftop dryer vent:

Inside Vent Cleaning

A thorough professional dryer vent cleaning starts inside your home. This is true, whether the vent extends out the side of your house or through a dryer vent on the roof. The pros first disconnect the dryer and clean the vent from where it begins. We use commercial-grade vacuums that clear more lint and debris than a household vacuum can remove.

Locating Your Dryer Vent on the Roof

Next, we locate the dryer vent on the roof. This sounds simple but is actually pretty tricky and dangerous. This is why you need experts to do this job for you.

After locating the vent, the pros must remove its cover. They remove caulking to do this and must exercise great care not to damage your roof. Damage can lead to a roof leak or other problems affecting the structure of your home. The pros know precisely how to take care of your roofing during this critical step.

Cleaning Rooftop Dryer Vents

After removing the cover from the dryer vent on the roof, we clean the vent. Again, this involves using a commercial-grade vacuum. This powerful device suctions out lint and debris that causes fires. After clearing the vent of lint and other matter, we wipe down the inside of the vent to remove any residual dust.

Sealing the Vent Cover

Properly sealing the vent cover is as critical as carefully removing it. We take great care to ensure rain and other moisture cannot get into the connection between the vent and your roof. This takes special training and proves why you need professionals performing this annual service for you. The last thing you want is water in your dryer vent or leaking through to damage your structure.

How often do I need my rooftop dryer vents cleaned?

For your dryer vent on the roof, you need yearly inspections and cleanings. This is the same maintenance schedule as for other dryer vents. A great time to get this work done is before you return to a regular schedule after quarantines, homeschooling, and at-home workdays end. By having the pros clean your vents now, you can go back to work with the confidence that your dryer will work as it should when you need it. You will also keep your home and family safe from the dangers of obstructed dryer vents.

Schedule a visit from our professionals today by calling Superior Dryer Vent Cleaning in Plano at 214-494-9740.

Dryers are essential for any household, and it’s clear when they aren’t working properly. Is your dryer not heating up properly? Why does it take forever to dry your clothes? Could it be that you need help with replacing a dryer vent hose or servicing your dryer vent? When it comes to dryer maintenance, the questions add up.

When dryers start to malfunction and break down, the result is a kabosh on any laundry until the problem is fixed. Replacing a dryer vent hose is an essential skill that you can quickly do at home with the right tools and parts.

The dryer vent hose size is typically a 4-inch aluminum foil or white plastic ducting that’s used to connect a dryer machine to an outside vent, but the best dryer vent hose is a metal vent pipe. Not only will this dry your clothes safely and quickly, but you’ll save 10 minutes off your drying time.

In this guide, we show you what type of dryer vent hose is best and how to replace your vent in just six steps. We also answer questions like how often should you replace dryer vent hose and can a dryer vent hose be too short.

What Type of Dryer Vent Hose is Best

The best dryer vent hose is one that matches to the type of dryer you own. No matter what dryer you have, you’ll need a vent hose that properly allows for ventilation and won’t endanger your home as a fire hazard.

Most homeowners go with a flexible aluminum 4-inch dryer vent hose, but you may want to try a telescoping design for a tight space, such as the Whirlpool 4396037RP. In other cases, you may want to look for vent hoses with stainless steel clamps.

If you’re not sure what kind of dryer vent hose to buy, there are universally compatible hoses that work with any dryer type.

How often should you replace dryer vent hose?

It’s important to clean out your dryer hose once a year, but you may want to replace your dryer vent hose every other year, depending on how often you use the dryer. We wrote on this very topic recently – be sure to read up on how often you should service your dryer and dryer vent system.

How Long Should a Dryer Vent Hose Be

A typical dryer vent hose is four inches in length. It’s important that the dryer vent hose length by short but not too short that it can’t reach the exterior vent from the dryer.

Can a Dryer Vent Hose Be Too Short

There are cases where you can cut a dryer vent hose too short. The most important thing to remember is that the hose must have a tight seal around the connections. When the space is too tight, it can be beneficial to shorten the vent hose or choose a flat vent hose pipe, such as products by Whirlpool.

How to Install a Dryer Vent Hose

You’re not the only one who wants to know how long should a dryer vent hose be. Once you have the right dryer vent hose length, you can install a more efficient dryer vent hose.

Hooking up a vent for a clothes dryer can be challenging in certain situations, especially if the outlet is located in a tight or difficult-to-reach space. In these cases, it’s best to pull your dryer back from the wall. This guide shows you how to install a vent for an electric dryer.

What You’ll Need

Adjustable wrench
Socket driver or flat blade screwdriver
Replacement vent or offset dryer vent kit
Dryer hose clamps
Utility knife
Foil duct tape

Tips Before Starting

Never use masking tape or other paper tapes to seal dryer hose connections, as it’s a fire hazard.
Disconnect the power to the dryer before starting
Remove the previous dryer hose and vacuum the interior of your dryer to remove lint

1. Move the Dryer Away from Wall

You’ll need easy access to the exhaust flange at the back of the dryer. This requires you to move the dryer a safe distance from the wall.

2. Remove Existing Hose

In the next phase, you’ll loosen the screws that hold the hose clamps and take off the existing flexible hose from the exterior vent and dryer. You can use a utility knife to cut away the previous duct tape and carefully pull away fro the dryer.

3. Replacing a Dryer Vent Hose

Place one end of the new hose over the dryer flange, now place a clamp over the hose and then tighten on the flange. Most dryer hose clamps have a pinch and release style that automatically tightens as you let go of the clamp.

Other clamps may require that you pull the clamp tightly and then tighten a screw to ensure it’s secure. You also do not want to insert screws into the hose or dryer flange, as these can catch lint and start a fire.

4. Secure Foil Duct Tape

Next, you’ll wrap foil duct tape across the end of the flexible hose exactly where it hooks into the flange. You want to make sure that you have an airtight seal.

5. Connect to Exterior Dryer Vent

In this step, you’ll bend the new hose to attach to the exterior dryer vent, then place the end over the top of the vent pipe. It should overlap by a few inches. Before you finish securing the tape, cut off any excess pipe that you don’t need.

You’ll clamp and secure the end of the flexible hose where it attaches to the outside vent. However, remember not to insert screws into the pipe or hose.

6. Finish Sealing the End of the Hose

All you have to do next is to seal the end of the hose using foil duct tape. You’ll seal this off right where the hose joins to the vent pipe, making sure that it’s airtight.

You can plug the dryer back in and move into place, being careful not to kink or pinch the flexible hose.

Get Expert Help for Your Dryer Vent

We’re on a mission to make everyone’s dryer more efficient and durable. How can we help you fix your dryer so that it runs perfectly for your home? Schedule a Free Consultation!