Dryer Vent Cleaning in Troy, OH
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It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold air turns lint into a wall inside your vent
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air every time it runs. Once that air hits the cold vent run, on nights that average 23°F here, it cools fast. Lint that would blow through in a warmer vent sticks to the damp walls instead and builds up a little more each time.
That buildup narrows the vent and slows the exhaust down. A slower vent means more moisture stays inside it, which gives the next load of lint something to stick to as well.
- 23°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 8 months
- October through May, the vent stays cold
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NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- How often should a dryer vent be cleaned?
- A contractor can tell you for sure once they see the length and shape of your duct run, but the vent needs to be fully clear at least once a year. If you run big loads often, or your duct is long or has several bends before it reaches the outside wall, it will need checking sooner. A vent that's clogged makes the dryer work harder and run longer to dry the same load.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the lint trap and the first few feet of duct behind the dryer yourself. The rest of the run to the outside vent hood is harder to reach and easy to damage with the wrong tool. A vent brush kit handles short, straight runs, but if your duct bends, runs through a wall or ceiling, or is longer than a few feet, a contractor with the right equipment will get it fully clear without tearing the ductwork.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take more than one cycle to dry, a dryer that runs hot to the touch, and a burning smell during the cycle are the main signs. You might also notice little to no airflow at the outside vent hood when the dryer is running, or lint collecting around the hood itself. Any of these means air isn't moving through the duct the way it should, and it's worth having the vent checked before it's run again.