Dryer -- Too much LINT getting through to vent

A typical Whirlpool electric clothes dryer. The long skinny lint screen pulls out from the top of the dryer -- a Type I dryer as my two household repair books call it.

Awhile back the lint screen tore along the edge that attaches to the screen frame. On the advice of my appliance parts house, rather than pay $47 for a new screen, I mended it with some RTV High Temp Silcone.

But even since then, it seems as if LOTS of lint is making it's way past the screen and into the vent duct.

Of course, the obvious answer might be my repair did not work. But the screen is tight. So, I can see no way that extra lint could be getting past. But, it obviously must be.

So, I will probably go ahead and buy a new screen, but before I do, are there any other possible ways for this to happen -- ie -- is there some way for the lint to bypass the screen and enter the vent duct that I should investigate?

Any thoughts, Tim

Reply to
tim birr
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If the screen frame is deformed and not seating correctly, my guess would be that lint is getting past the frame edge.

Reply to
Oren

Oren:

That's logical! Guess I will just have to suck it up and pay for a new screen -- and yes, I did an extensive web search on this about a year ago....no one really makes aftermarket cheapies for model. Don't know why -- that's why we decided to go with the RTV repair attempt.

Tim

Reply to
tim birr

In my area - suburban Chicago, on junk days there are usually a lot of dryers being thrown out. I have scarfed the lint filter from a cou- ple of these to have spares. It seems like every one I have scarfed is the same size, since apparently one manufacturer has all the designs and manufactures them for everyone else to brand.

Reply to
hrhofmann

Are you sure you're not just paying more attention since the "fix"? My lint filter is intact, and I still get lots of lint going through it. Every year, I stuff a leaf blower down the hole and big wads of lint come flying out the outside vent. Performance is dramatically improved, for a while... Helps to take the cover off the outside so the pressure doesn't separate the pipes.

Reply to
mike

Is your vent hole opening to the outside higher than where it connects to the dryer? Ideally it should be either lower or at least the same height to keep lint from being trapped in the duct

Reply to
Molly Brown

"Molly Brown" wrote

I've never seen one that was not higher. How do you make it the same or lower if the dryer is in a basement or on a slab and the outlet is 4" above slab?

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

If the dryer is in the basement there is nothing you can do however as long as the sill plate is not higher than 1 =BD=94 above the slab there is no reason you can=92t make the outlet come out on top of it, but a lot of installers don=92t want to bother being that accurate so they just make a hole any old place and take the money and run. What some people do is frame a pedestal for the dryer which has the added advantage of not having to crouch down when using it.

Reply to
Molly Brown

OP Again:

I could just be "paying more attention." Not sure. I DO pull out the dryer every year, open the cabinet and clean the lint from the inside of the case as well as much of the vent work as I can reach. Doesn't seem to be more in the cabinet than usual.

However, when I repaired the tear in the lint screen, I replaced the vent cover assembly on the outside of the house, as the old assembly was about 40 years old, stuck in an open position and squirrels had got in twice (and not got out).

So, possibly, since the new assembly is not Stuck Open, it may inhibit flow more than the older cover.

As for putting the outlet lower than the dryer, gosh, that would have to be "on the ground level." I have never seen that anywhere. Seems to me it would be an invitation for even more critters to find their way and have a party.

I do like the leaf blower thing mentioned by MIKE!

I think I will try that. Anyone have any cautions about trying the leaf blower to blow out the vent? Any chance of damage -- my dryer actually is in the basement and has two 90-degree angles in the tube run before termination on the outside wall. Tim

Reply to
tim birr

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Reply to
Molly Brown

Right. My dryer vent is vertical and vents above the roof (single story). Just has a cap that helps prevents water from getting in.

There was a thread awhile back, demonstrating the use of compressed air. A poster found out that the hose end was called a "reverse nozzle" (?).

Here a video that uses the air hose.

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Reply to
Oren

Plus, if the vent opening is lower, it can act as a siphon?

Reply to
HeyBub

"Molly Brown" wrote

There is a simple reason I forgot about before. At least in my eighborhood. ---- Snow.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

OP again....Yeah with a ground level outlet for the vent, I thought about snow, but my house eaves are pretty big and USUALLY don't get much next to the house.

But, again, but even with the "cage" around the outlet, I'm thinking, lizards, garter snakes, ants, and various other small critters that would not be as likely to crawl up the wall, but might be more likely to enter if it was closer to the ground.

Liked your "you tube" video link, and that led to several other links, including the video of the LintEater gadget, which is probably, well, I won't say anything, but I'm tempted to try it....

I think I'd probably get more use out of it for my downspouts than the dryer, but who knows how it really works.

Reply to
tim birr

If your dryer blows the lint to the outside through your exhaust system, then it really doesn't matter how much the screen is catching and how much is getting past it. The Whirlpool top lint screen dryer, and the various brands it is sold under, is an excellent machine, probably the best on the market for performance, durablility, price, and value. The airflow pattern in this dryer is extremely strong, and if it is drying in a good amount of time, just ignore the lint issue.

Avoid the "inside" lint screen models made by Whirlpool. These dryers have a weaker airflow system, and the tubes inside leak lint like a sieve, causing lint to build up inside the machine and leading to premature failure for nearby components including the motor, and increasing the risk of fire exponentially.

Reply to
AE Todd

replying to AE Todd, Jeffrey Patterson (2Jsandsons.com) wrote: In my opinion the best way to clean your vent system is an electric leaf blower inside blowing out and a rotery brush system from the outside. But dont forget to clean out the dryer also.

Reply to
Jeffrey Patterson (2Jsandsons.

replying to AE Todd, Gene wrote: Do not ignore lint build-up anywhere. Even with a better quality machine. Search the web for "dryer fire" to see why. I have seen it in person. It's bad. Very bad.

Lint getting past the filter will accumulate in the dryer plenum and eventually find its way to the heating coil (electric) or heat box (gas).

Even if your filter is working as designed, clean the lint from the inside of the dryer and the duct annually.

Reply to
Gene

Usually ignore posts generated from home owners hub but this is very important. We thought we had kept ours clean but when a repairman mentioned that our vent, a plastic covered spring pipe, was not code and we could have an insurance problem if their was a fire, I bought a new all metal outlet to replace it. The old was full of lint. Air was blowing past it but it was a fire waiting to happen. In the future I will take the vent off to make sure it is clean.

Reply to
Frank

tim birr: $FORTY-SEVEN??

A filter for my Estate set me back $22 & change including shipping. Top-loading filter as yours. The screen separated from the leading edge(in first) of the filter on mine.

Reply to
thekmanrocks

Regardless what anyone tells you, there is no such thing as flexible plastic :dryer vent" There is flexible plastic vent - but not suitable for dryers, and junk regardless.

Reply to
clare

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