When you look at dryer vents, you see a system that provides an outlet for heat and an inlet of cool air. But, on the other hand, Bugs see an ideal location for habitation, and they’ll waste no time settling down there. But, you don’t have to entertain these uninvited guests in your home. So, you need to take measures to stop bugs from getting into your dryer vents and keep them out of your living space.
Unfortunately, bugs seem to love vents generally – especially dryer vents. Bugs like places that are usually cool/hot at appropriate times, uncluttered, and people don’t always check. So, they can stow away in your dryer vents for as long as you don’t notice or care. But it seems like you care. So, we’ll show you how to stop the bugs from getting into the dryer vents without harming them.
What do you need to do to prevent bugs from getting into your dryer vents? There are different solutions you can employ to safeguard the vents. Some are straightforward; others may be a bit time-consuming. This article will explain the measures you can take to keep your dryer vent bugs-free. But before we get to that, let’s discuss how bugs get into vents and some of the things that attract them.
How Do Bugs Get into Vents?
Short answer: The bugs found a way in and made themselves at home. Most critters can easily sneak through the tiniest openings and find a comfortable space for themselves anywhere. And even despite your best efforts, completely bug-proofing your living space will be challenging. Those critters always find a way to get wherever they want.
Related Article: Dryer Vent Cleaning, Repair & Installation
What’s Attracting The Bug To Your Dryer Vent?
First, the outdoor condenser for your dryer will appeal to most insects. These insects are looking for a cool place, and your dryer vent perfectly fits the bill. Not only that, the grill can protect the critters from predators like frogs and birds. Plus, they don’t need to go too far to get water; the droplets from the condensation line and drain pan will suffice for them.
Furthermore, the dryer vent provides unrestricted access to your interior space. So, the bugs can go and come as they like. Sourcing food will be a lot easier for them and they can migrate to find more suitable spots in the vast expanse of your interior space.
That said, you need to show those critters that your vent won’t be their summer vacation spot. Of course, you can’t totally shut the bugs out, but you can at least make it more challenging for them to get in your space. For that, you’ll need to put in mechanisms to keep the pests out of your dryer vents. That said, let’s look at some things you can do to stop the bugs from getting into your dryer vents and your house generally.
Put Screens Over Air Vents
Insect screens can serve as your first and most effective defence mechanism against bugs invasion. Not only that, blocking your dryer vents with a mesh is a harmless strategy to stop the bugs from getting in. And meshes won’t significantly affect the flow of air through your vents. So you don’t have to worry about a reduction in the efficiency of your ducts.
Screens effectively prevent the entry of most insects from cockroaches to stink bugs and other crawlers. But the best part is you won’t be hurting them in any way, at least not intentionally. You can install screens on the vents by yourself or get dryer installation experts to help you do it. Follow the below steps if you intend to fix the mesh on your ducts yourself.
Step 1
First, confirm the local building code in your area before installing insect screens on your vents. For example, your location may have an international residence code. There are regulations on the acceptable materials for vent screens in such areas. You don’t want to unknowingly violate laws by installing meshes from restricted materials.
Step 2
Unscrew the bolts holding the vent cover in place, then slide a flat-head screwdriver under the frame of the vent grill to pry it open
Step 3
Cut the screen materials into size. The best way to cut the mesh is to unroll it on a workbench and measure out the appropriate size. To get the proper dimension for the material, place the vent’s cover on the mesh. Then, cut around the outside edge of the vent cover to get a perfect size for the hole.
Alternatively, you can measure the length and height of the hole then transfer the dimensions to the mesh. However, you’ll agree that this process will take longer than necessary to complete. Plus, you’ll need to add 1 inch to the measurements to put a little bit of space around the screen. Regardless, ensure you wear safety gloves and goggles to protect yourself from the shape edges of the mesh while cutting.
Step 4
Place the screen over the hole and use a caulk or staple gun to hold it in place. Caulk is ideal for attaching the mesh to brick or stone. You simply need to apply a drop ¼ inch from the sides of the opening and then press the screen firmly into it. However, adhere to all product instructions and warnings when using it.
Step 5
Repeat the process for all the vent holes and replace the vent covers.
Search and Seal Cracks In Your Walls
Even though you found the bugs in your vent, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways they can get into your house. It’s possible the bugs got into your apartment through wall cracks then found their way into your vent from inside the house. Like we said earlier, dryer vents make for a comfy place for most insects. So, they may choose to hide there.
That said, you wouldn’t experience this problem if you installed screens on both ends of your vents. But assuming you don’t have screens yet, you first want to flush out any bug that may already be residing in your duct. Then you should install screens to stop bugs from getting into your dryer vents. Finally, you should find the splits in your walls and use the remaining caulk to seal them up.
Check the areas around the dryer, gas lines and cable wires. These are the areas that are most prone to having cracks and splits. Seal up all these areas as best as you can.
Don’t Leave Garbage Out For Long.
Bugs, like most other vermin, are attracted to garbage. It’ll attract bugs if you can smell it (even a tiny bit). Even if you can’t smell it, that doesn’t mean the bugs can’t find it. Insects and other pests are more sensitive to odours than you. And they love it! It’s usually damp and contains more than enough food for them. It’s the perfect place for them to nest.
However, even though the garbage attracted the bugs into your apartment, they can still find their way into your dryer vents in time. So, one way to avoid bugs in your dryer vents is by removing things that attract them. Use plastic garbage bags to keep your wastes and take them out promptly. Also, ensure to tie the plastic bags properly before taking them out.
Scrub Your Trash Bins and Recyclables
Most people think they don’t need to wash their waste bins since they line them with plastic garbage bags. That’s wrong, don’t give in to that lazy opinion; it won’t serve in your best interest. Garbage bags seemingly keep your trash bins clean, but there’ll be times you’ll have spillage. Plus, trash bins often retain the garbage stench even after you’ve emptied its contents.
The garbage stench is one of the biggest bug magnets in your home. But, if the bugs come in and find no garbage to distract them, they’ll look for a suitable environment in your place to lodge. There are very few environments that are more suitable for bugs than the dryer vents.
So, an excellent way to stop bugs from getting into your dryer vents is to make your place unattractive for them. Scrub your trash bins to remove all hints of garbage. Give them no reason to want to come into your space.
Keep Your Apartment Tidy
This point reinforces a recommendation we stated in the previous fact – rid your house of things that attract bugs. A disorganized space with litter all around is a perfect brooding place for insects. Spiders will come and happily spurn their webs on the ceiling. Cockroaches will find hiding spots beneath the piles of litter, and bugs will find their way to your dryer vents.
Endeavour to keep your kitchen clean. Sweep and vacuum your floors, wipe up spills and crumbs, and never leave plates in the sink overnight. Also, try to clean your cooktops daily. Create an efficient storage system for keeping your cereals, grains and other pantry items. Lastly, never leave open food outside.
Having a decluttered space will improve your lifestyle. But more importantly, it’ll make it easier to prevent insect invasion in your apartment. Clean environments are not healthy for insects; bugs can’t survive in your vents if you regularly keep everything tidy.
Fix Water Leaks
Most bugs need to be in an environment with a certain humidity level to survive. For example, mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant pools of water or muddy areas. So, any source of moisture and small water bodies will attract these insects.
Promptly fix all plumbing leaks to prevent the buildup of conducive moisture for insects. Also, remove water pools that can serve as a breeding environment for mosquitoes.
In addition, take good care of your gutters and drainage systems. Remove all matter that creates an ideal habitat for bugs. Sweep out leaves, dust and debris. Also, get rid of water pools that may build up in the gutters. Make sure they’re clear and ready for rain.
Create a Rock Garden
A rock garden probably doesn’t sound relevant to the discussion. You may be thinking, how can a rock garden help to stop bugs from getting into your dryer vents? Bugs won’t be getting in your ducts if they can’t even get close to it. A landscape primarily consisting of gravel stones, bricks and rocks can hinder the infestation of insects in your environment.
We’re not saying rocks are insect repellants. However, it’s difficult for bugs to nest around rock formations. And, bugs won’t simply come out of nowhere and start living in your vents. They would have spent some time in your yard or garden before finding their way inside the ducts. So, if you can prevent them from staying in your garden, that may be a sufficient measure to stop them from getting in your dryer vents.
Do Regular Maintenance of Your HVAC Systems
Why did we keep such an obvious fix for the last? Regular maintenance is often a reactive measure against bug infestation rather than a preventive one. You can hardly pest-proof your dryer vents simply by constantly making sure they’re in good working conditions. However, consistent maintenance will help you discover the bugs and remove them faster.
Of course, regular maintenance is a very viable way to prevent bugs from staying in the vents. However, it may not be as effective for stopping bugs from getting into the dryer vents. More importantly, however, it will help keep your systems in good working conditions with minimal risk of breakdown.
Related Article: How to Replace A Broken Dryer Vent Cap
Conclusion
The best way to stop bugs from getting inside your dryer vent is to use a screen. Also, endeavour to keep your environment tidy. Finally, remove all matters that can encourage pest settlement and infestation. Then, you won’t have to worry much about insects getting into your space.
Call for professional help if you can’t seem to keep the bugs out by yourself. To that end, you can check out our dryer repair and installation services.
