Dryer Vent Cleaning in Cape Girardeau, MO
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Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold air outside means lint sticks harder inside
Every load pushes warm, damp air out through the vent. Once that air hits the cold metal on a winter night, it cools fast, and the moisture in it has somewhere to land. Lint clings to a damp wall a lot easier than a dry one, and Cape Girardeau winter nights average 27°F from December through February, cold enough to cool that vent fast.
Over a winter that buildup narrows the path the air has to take. A dryer that can't push air out all the way runs hotter and takes longer to dry a load, and the lint sitting in that vent is exactly what a small spark needs.
- 27°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 7 months
- October through April, the vent stays cold
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NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- How often should a dryer vent be cleaned?
- Once a year for most households. Lint builds up along the whole length of the vent, not just in the trap, and a year is usually long enough for it to collect and start slowing the airflow down. If you notice any of the signs of a clog before then, don't wait for the year mark.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the lint trap and the first few feet behind the dryer yourself, but that is not the same as cleaning the vent. Most runs travel several feet through the wall and out to a hood on the outside of the house, with bends along the way where lint collects and a brush from the inside cannot reach. A contractor uses a rod and brush system built to clear the full run and check that the vent hood flap opens and closes the way it should.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take longer than one cycle to dry, a dryer that runs hot to the touch, and a burning or musty smell when it is running are the main signs. You might also notice less air coming out of the vent hood outside, or lint gathering around the hood itself. Any one of these is worth having checked, since a blocked vent makes the dryer work harder and run hotter than it should.