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Dulley's Money-Saving Tip #1030

Check the condition of your clothes dryer vent

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Check the condition of your clothes dryer vent duct and where it attaches to the dryer and the window or wall outdoor vent. During the hot humid summer weather, the last thing you need is more warm moist air from your clothes dryer leaking into your house.

The dryer vent duct, usually a flexible accordion-type of four-inch duct, deteriorates over time. Small cracks can form from the vibrations of the spinning drum full of clothes. Grab the duct with your hand and wiggle it. You will be able to tell if it has gotten brittle. If it is brittle, replace it, even if you cannot see cracks in it.

Check the clamps on either end of the vent. They can become loose over time and often tear right through the flexible duct material. Inspect it carefully. If the clamps are loose, tighten them. If there are no clamps, which is often the case, install clamps. Most hardware stores have large hose clamps sized to fit standard dryer duct.