Speak to a Dryer Vent Professional in Your Area
From a young age, we’re told over and over again to clean the lint traps of our dryers in order to improve the dryer’s function and to avoid fires. But many of us forget about the dryer vent, which is equally important! Debris can and will accumulate in your dryer vent and hose. As homeowners, it’s important to learn the signs of malfunction, as well as how often to clean your dryer vent.
How Often To Clean Your Dryer Vent
Experts agree that homeowners should do a complete cleaning of the dryer vent every year. That includes both the outside and inside components of the vent.
Along with the cleaning, all of the pieces should be inspected for damage, and to make sure they’re in full, proper, working order. All vent pieces should open and close correctly, with no chips, cracks, or missing pieces. Hoses should be free of rips and connect properly to both ports.
An annual cleaning is just a recommendation based on average use, however. If your dryer handles a lot of laundry on a regular basis, or you use it for heavy-duty purposes, you may wish to clean your dryer vent more frequently. You should do a basic inspection of all of the pieces at least once a quarter, as well, to make sure all of the pieces and connections are in good condition and in the proper location.
Signs Your Dryer Vent Needs to be Cleaned
Occasionally, your dryer may need a little extra attention. Certain materials or an increase in usage can create more build-up in the ventilation system, requiring more frequent cleaning.
The symptoms of a clogged dryer vent are easy to spot, giving you time to clean your dryer vent before a disaster occurs:
- Drying time may increase. If your dryer is taking longer and longer to completely dry a standard load of laundry, you may need to clean the vent. The hot, damp air within the dryer needs to escape in order for laundry to dry. If your laundry is still hot and damp after a standard cycle, this is a sign that the air is not leaving the dryer. The culprit could be a build-up of debris in the vent.
- The outside of the dryer is very hot. If a dryer cannot properly expel the interior heat through the proper ventilation hose and ducts, the heat will be stored inside the dryer. This will cause the machine to become very hot. You’ll also notice that the clothing within the dryer gets very, very hot, too, regardless of what setting you use.
- There may be a smell. Lint is extremely flammable, so if you smell a hint of smoke or burning, that’s a sign that things are too hot. If you smell something strange, unplug the dryer and have it inspected immediately.
Keeping Your Dryer Vent In Good Shape
Through regular inspections and annual cleaning, you should be able to avoid major problems with your dryer vent. While you can certainly perform regularly cleaning yourself, you may also wish to have a professional clean your dryer vent and complete a full inspection of all the pieces.
To arrange for a local professional to inspect your dryer vent, along with any diagnoses and repair of issues, call 844-962-2681. A highly trained HVAC professional will be happy to come to your house to review your ventilation system, as well as provide advice as to how often to clean your dryer vent, based on your usage.
A clean dryer vent ensures a long lifespan for your dryer, as well as continued efficiency. Most of all, it gives you peace of mind! Learn more about us: Specialty Air Purifiers.
Frank is the chief editor and director at Specialty Air, where he oversees testing, research, and editing for all air quality-related articles. Frank is an expert in the air quality space with extensive experience testing, researching, and reviewing air purifiers, air conditioners, air filters, air fresheners, fans, and more. He also has over 4 years of experience with issues surrounding mold remediation, radon mitigation, moisture management, air duct systems, HVAC, and insulation.
