Please help..I know this is random and I feel very "I love lucy" but long story short my flash drive went down my dryer vent. I was cleaning it out and had too many things in my hand. On top of that...I am in Austin (where it is flooding). I don't think it made its way outside b/c I wadded through some water looking (and I think it is too heavy). I took the back of the dryer off and the "tubing" but don't see it. I think it was too heavy to make its way all the way out. WHAT CAN I DO? I AM SERIOUSLY PANICKED. Am I just screwed?
Thank you in advance.
K In the House2007-06-27T22:19:50Z
Favorite Answer
Depending on the model you'll just have to unscrew the vent with the little blower that blows the air out of the dryer into the vent duct and out. Be sure that you retrieve anything you drop in the vent before operating the dryer again because the fan has plastic vanes and you'll either break the vanes or the obstruction will keep the fan from turning and you'll eventually burn up the motor. Don't worry, you won't break anything.
I've seen large oversized brushes that look like bottle brushes for the express purpose of cleaning out dryer vents (dust and lint). They can be found in any hardware store.
If you get one, slowly "screw" the brush into the dryer vent about 6 inches at a time and then pull the brush slowly and firmly out. Screwing it in will allow the bristles to "corkscrew" past things like your flash drive. If you just shove it in, you could drive the flash drive deeper. By doing 6 inches at a time you will be able to look down a cleaner vent with a flashlight to see if anything is visible yet. It will be a slow process but the only one I can come up with that will work.
A powerful magnet on a string could damage the flash drive.
Gosh, what a terrible event. Maybe the flash drive went in the garbage with the lint, instead of down the dryer vent. If you are positive it's in the vent, get a repair man with lots of experience to help you. My heart goes out to you. I lost my house to a flood in 1986, so I know what you are going through. I'm in Houston, so I've been watching it all on TV with a different eye than those who have never been there. If I can help you with anything, you can email me from the profile page.
ITS EASY TO RETRIEVE......FOLLOW THE TIN FOILED TUBE TO THE VENT, TAKE THE 4 SCREWS OFF THE VENT COVER AND THERE IT IS! I ALWAYS GET THINGS SUCKED DOWN THERE LIKE SOCKS!