Gas Fired Clothes Dryer Question

Hello,

Family member has an older gas-fired clothes dryer.

Want to suggest to them that they put a vacuum hose in the duct's outlet (on the outside of the house) to vacuum out any lint and dust. Have been reading so much about clothes dryer duct fires !

Was wondering, though: is there any possibility that by doing so they will snuff out the gas pilot light on the dryer ?

Frankly, I am not even sure there is a pilot, but knowing the age of the thing, I doubt that it has a piezo type of igniter, which, I believe, all the newer ones now have.

So, is there much of a possibility in putting out the pilot flame ?

Or, is it in a spot that it would not even "see" the vacuum or air stream ?

Would hate for it to happen, as they would probably have to have someone come in to re light it for them, as they couldn't do it themselves.

Thanks, Bob

Reply to
Robert11
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If they cant light a pilot, they cant vacume it out right, its a bit more then shoving down a hose. Why dont you do it when you stop over

Reply to
ransley

I've never seen a piezoelectric igniter on a gas dryer. I've installed a new gas water heater that was equipped with piezoelectric igniter to light the standing pilot so you don't have to open the combustion chamber to get to it. The gas dryer probably has an electronic spark igniter that includes a flame sensor. It would help to know the brand and model number of the dryer.

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

if the existing line is a flexible one, put in a vacuum hose the line just collapses:(

your far better off to remove line atr dryer vacuum out what you can then I use my shop vac as a blower. that sends a cloud of lint into the yard, which means the line is nice and clean.

if the line is flexible dont accidently create a low dip in the line, moisture condensates out, and blocks the exhaust./

Reply to
hallerb

I doubt the dryer has a pilot light. But in any event, the vacuum would not effect it because I'm sure the movement of air when the dryer is running is far greater than a vacuum. Just a suggestion, if you have a flexible hose connecting the dryer to the outside vent (especially if it's foil or plastic) just replace it with the rigid corrugated flexible line .

Reply to
Mikepier

I just use a brush to clear any lint from both ends of the ductwork, then peek through the ducting to check for accumulated lint inside. In my experience, most of the lint gets stuck at the exterior vent opening, followed by the opening at the dryer itself. If it's a smooth duct, there'll probably be very little lint collected on the inside. If it's flexible ductwork, there could be an accumulation inside the ductwork. If they have flex ducting, you could do them a kindness by replacing it with smooth ducting. It's usually a fairly fast and inexpensive job - unless they've got an unusually long or elaborate ducting to the outside.

HellT

Reply to
Hell Toupee

I believe most gas dryers have an auto pilot light. I could be wrong. Don't recall ever having to mess with a pilot light in the last 3 or 4 gas dryers I've owned.

Reply to
Evan Platt

If you want to get the lint out use a leaf blower from the inside, right in the dryer.

Lou

Reply to
LouB

re: the vacuum would not effect it because I'm sure the movement of air when the dryer is running is far greater than a vacuum.

I'm sure that the movement of air from my 2.5HP shop vac is greater than the movement of air when the dryer is running. Hold one hand outside the dryer vent and hold the other on the "blower" side of a decent shop vac. Advantage: shop vac.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

If the pilot light is 8 feet away , the vacuum is not going to affect it.

Reply to
Mikepier

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