House Wise Advice from Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford

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Clothes Dryer Woes

Q. "Why does my dryer take so long to dry my clothes?" -- April

A. You probably clean your lint filter every time you dry a load of clothes. But because some lint will always get past the filter and accumulate in the pipe behind the dryer, you also need to clean the vent hose and pipe once a year to keep your dryer running efficiently. Pull the dryer away from the wall, then disconnect the flexible pipe that connects to the vent in the wall. Use a dryer lint brush (available at home centers) to clean out the inside of the vent and pipe. Use the hose from your vacuum cleaner to remove any remaining lint. This task will shorten the time your dryer runs, which translates into energy savings.