Do you need to disconnect your gas dryer to clean or replace the appliance? We’re here to help.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- What you need to know about disconnecting your gas dryer
- Supplies you’ll need to disconnect your gas dryer
- How to disconnect a gas dryer in 14 steps
What You Need To Know About Disconnecting Your Gas Dryer
The most important thing to know when disconnecting your gas dryer is that safety precautions are not optional.
You must turn off your gas valve. This will prevent gas leakage, which can lead to fire, explosions, or asphyxia.
You’ll also want to put out any flames in your home before you begin to avoid any leaked gas providing them with more ignition.
Other preparations include wearing protective gear, ventilating your home, keeping a fire extinguisher on hand, and unplugging the dryer’s electrical cord.
Another thing you should know and might wonder is, why would you disconnect a gas dryer in the first place? Here are some examples of when you would do this:
- Before fixing a broken dryer
- Before cleaning your dryer vents
- To remove or replace your dryer
- Before moving the dryer to a new location in your home
Essentially, any time you are moving your dryer, taking it apart, or doing any sort of repair or maintenance, you’ll want to disconnect it from the gas and electrical sources. This is a crucial safety precaution when working with any appliance.
If you have doubts about your abilities to disconnect your gas dryer on your own, call a professional who can do it right. Following appropriate safety protocol is crucial when it comes to gas appliances.
Supplies You’ll Need For Disconnecting Your Gas Dryer
- Wrench
- Screwdriver
- Teflon tape
- Fire extinguisher
- Safety goggles, face mask, & gloves
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How To Disconnect a Gas Dryer (14 Steps)
Step 1: Remove clothes and lint from the dryer
Before you begin, you want a clean dryer to work with. If there are clothes in your dryer, take them out. Then, empty the lint tray and clean up any lint from the top and back of the dryer, and vacuum the floor.
This will make the dryer easier to move, eliminate a fire hazard, and make clean up easier when you’re finished.
Step 2: Make sure the dryer is turned off
Now that you have an empty, clean dryer, make sure it is turned off before you begin disconnecting. This is the final step involving the dryer for now, as you still need to prep your home and yourself.
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Step 3: Extinguish any flames in your home
Prepare your home and eliminate fire risk by extinguishing any flames in your home. If any gas leaks when you disconnect the dryer, these flames could be given more ignition.
Step 4: Ventilate the area
Next, ventilate the area well by opening the surrounding doors and windows. Any time you mess with gas, there’s a possibility of leakage as well as a fire hazard. A well-ventilated space takes away some of that risk.
Step 5: Have a fire extinguisher on hand
You want to be fully prepared if the worst happens. Don’t wait until there’s a fire to grab your fire extinguisher. Keep it within reach and easy to find.
Step 6: Cover your face and hands
The last preparation step is to cover your face and hands with protective gear. Use your goggles, face mask, and gloves for this.
Step 7: Unplug the dryer from the electrical outlet
The first step to actually disconnecting your dryer is to unplug it from the electrical outlet. This will ensure no electricity is going to the dryer so that you don’t risk electrocution.
Step 8: Turn off the gas
Don’t forget to turn off the gas to your dryer anytime you are moving it or taking it apart! This is extremely important.
You can do this by locating the gas valve to your home and shutting it off until you are finished working.
A gas leak is a huge household hazard that could cause a fire or lead to you and your loved ones developing asphyxia, which is caused by a lack of oxygen and can be deadly.
Step 9: Carefully slide the dryer out from the wall
Move any items on the floor out of the way, including the dryer’s cord and plug. Then, carefully slide it out from the wall. Be careful not to injure yourself, damage the dryer, or scratch the floor in this process.
Step 10: Disconnect the dryer’s gas line
With your dryer away from the wall, you should be able to get behind the appliance. Here, you’ll see a gas line connected to your dryer.
Use a wrench to disconnect this line. You may notice a bit of gas leakage, which is why the safety precaution steps are so important.
If an excessive amount of gas leaves the line at this point, evacuate the home and call a professional to handle the problem.
Step 11: Cap the gas line and secure with Teflon tape
Once you’ve disconnected the gas line, cover the end and seal it with Teflon tape. Make sure it is completely and securely sealed before moving onto the next step.
Step 12: Disconnect the vent duct
Disconnect the vent duct from the wall to complete the process of disconnecting your dryer. This is also a good time to clean the duct if you haven’t done so in a while. It’s important that this vent is cleaned at least twice yearly.
You may also notice lint falling from the duct as it is disconnected. If this happens, use a vacuum to clean the mess.
Step 13: Air out the room
Don’t close the doors and windows right away. Instead, give the room some time to air out once you’ve finished disconnecting your dryer.
Step 14: If the smell of gas lingers, call a professional
If your house smells like gas after you’ve disconnected your dryer, call a professional to come out and examine the situation. Don’t put this off, as doing so will put everyone living in your home at risk.
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