When Should You Clean Your Dryer Vents?

It’s not enough just to clean your dryer’s lint trap (and let’s face it, we all forget that step every so often). Your dryer vent itself needs to be examined and cleaned periodically to ensure that your dryer works properly, efficiently, and safely.

How to spot a clogged dryer vent

• Your clothes take longer to dry
• Your clothes emerge from the dryer hotter than usual
• The dryer itself heats up more than it used to, along with your whole laundry room
• The vent hood flap refuses to open the way it used to
• Your clothes have a faint burning smell to them

What is dryer vent cleaning?

Your dryer vent is more than just one part of the dryer. It is the entire system that pulls warm, moist air away from your clothes and vents it to the outdoors. A complete round of dryer vent cleaning from Better Air addresses each part of this system. Here’s what we deliver:

• Complete inspection of the dryer vent opening. We go outside and examine the dryer vent’s final terminus for damage to the vent, clogging, and any other problems.
• External and internal cleaning. We remove all external obstacles to the vent’s proper functioning, and go inside the vent’s ductwork to remove any debris that may have entered from either side.
• Lint removal. This step cleans the entire dryer vent duct of lint and other debris produced by your dryer.
• Dryer-area cleaning. The area behind your dryer should be kept clear of obstacles. Over time, it inevitably becomes dirty (and might just be the hiding place for that missing sock). We thoroughly clean the entire area surrounding your dryer.
• Lint trap and drum. We clean your lint trap thoroughly, along with your dryer’s drum.

How often should you clean your dryer vent?

If you don’t clear your lint trap each and every time you run a load of laundry, now’s the time to start doing so. Your dryer vent should be cleaned at least once a year. Consider cleaning it more often depending on these factors.

The size of your family

Bigger families run the dryer more often. If you tend to run your dryer more than once a day, think about cleaning your dryer vent every six months or so.

Your wardrobe

New clothes, especially those made of natural fibers, produce more lint than older ones. If you’re in the habit of buying new outfits somewhat regularly, or if you have young children who rapidly outgrow their clothes, think about inspecting your dryer vent twice a year.

The weather

Colder weather calls for bulkier clothes, which tend to produce more lint than summer outfits. Pay special attention to your dryer’s performance during the winter months, and consider having your dryer vent inspected around the first of the year.

Your pets

Nearly every type of pet—even hamsters, even birds—contributes to the particles that accumulate in your lint trap and dryer vent. Fur from cats, dogs, and other large pets can easily find its way past your lint trap and into your ductwork, where it restricts the flow of air from your dryer.

Why you should have your dryer vents cleaned regularly

You’ll save money

When your dryer’s airflow is impeded, it has to work harder. Cleaning its air vent allows your dryer to work more efficiently, which consumes less energy. Homeowners typically save 30% off their dryer-related energy bills when they clean their air ducts regularly.

You’ll stay safer

Lint is even more prone to catching fire than tinderwood. It only takes a little piece of lint in the wrong place, heated up by an overworked dryer, to start a fire that can spread beyond your laundry room. Regular air vent cleaning keeps your ducts lint-free and your dryer running comfortably.

Your dryer will last longer

The harder your dryer works to pump out old air, the longer it takes to dry your clothes. Over the long run, a harder-working dryer simply gives up before its time. To protect your investment, keep your dryer, and its vents, well maintained.

Tips for keeping your dryer vent clean

•  Reduce the venting’s length by moving your dryer closer to the external wall
• Replace flexible venting with a solid vent pipe
• Switch from dryer sheets to a liquid fabric softener
• Before running a second load, allow your dryer to cool down for 20 minutes

These tips will keep your vents cleaner for longer, but nothing stops lint from escaping your dryer. Plan on having your dryer vents professionally cleaned at least once every year—give us a call today to learn how.