Dryer Vent Cleaning in Florissant, MO
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It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold air in the vent makes lint stick
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air every time it runs. On a winter night that averages 26°F, that air cools fast once it hits the vent, and the moisture in it gives the lint somewhere to stick instead of blowing straight through to the outside.
Over a winter that runs October through April, that buildup narrows the vent a little more each week. A vent that is choked with lint forces the dryer to push harder and run longer to do the same job.
- 26°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 is a reasonable schedule for most households. Lint builds up inside the vent run even if you clean the lint trap every load, because the trap only catches what passes through the screen. If your vent run is long, has several bends, or you notice clothes taking longer to dry, clean it more often than once a year.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the first few feet from the back of the dryer, but that is not the same as cleaning the whole vent run. Most vents travel several feet through the wall or attic before reaching the outside hood, with bends that trap lint a brush from the inside can't reach. A contractor uses a rotary brush system built to clear the full length and check that the vent hood outside is actually venting freely.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take longer than one cycle to dry, a dryer that feels hot to the touch on the outside, and a burning smell when it runs are the main signs. You might also notice little to no airflow at the outside vent hood when the dryer is on, or lint collecting around the hood itself. A clogged vent is a fire risk, so any of these signs is worth having checked.