Dryer Vent Cleaning in Midland, MI
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Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold vents catch more lint
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air, and from December through February that vent run sits in cold that averages 18°F at night. The warm air cools fast against those cold walls, and the moisture in it beads up before the lint clears the duct. Wet lint sticks, and it builds up along the vent a little more with every load instead of blowing clear.
A narrowed vent pushes the dryer's air against more resistance, and the lint left sitting inside is exactly what a dryer fire needs.
- 18°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?
- Once a year is the usual rule, more often if you dry a lot of laundry or have a long vent run. Lint builds up along the inside of the duct even when the lint trap is clean, because not everything gets caught there. A vent full of lint makes the dryer work harder and takes longer to dry each load. If you notice clothes coming out hotter than usual or drying is taking longer than it used to, that vent may need attention sooner than a year.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the part you can reach, but most homes have vent runs that go through a wall or up through the roof, and that part is hard to reach with a brush from either end. A vent brush kit will clear lint near the dryer and near the outside hood. What it usually will not clear is a long horizontal run or a bend partway through the line, where lint tends to build up the most. A contractor has the rods and the camera to clean the whole run and check that the vent hood outside is opening and closing the way it should.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take longer to dry than they used to, or come out hotter than usual, are the first sign. You may also notice the outside of the dryer feels warm during a cycle, or the vent hood outside barely moves when the dryer is running, when it should be pushing air out with some force. A burning smell during drying is a sign to stop and check the vent right away. Lint building up around the lint trap slot or behind the dryer is another sign the vent isn't clearing the way it should.