Dryer Vent Cleaning in Fort Payne, AL
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Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold air and warm exhaust don't mix well in your vent
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air, and from December through February that air is hitting a vent run sitting in nights that average 33°F. The exhaust cools fast once it's inside, and the moisture in it has to go somewhere. It ends up on the walls of the vent, and that's where lint sticks instead of blowing through to the outside.
Once lint builds up along a damp section of vent, it doesn't dry out and blow free on its own. It sits there, catching more lint with each load, narrowing the path the air has to take to get outside.
- 33°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 the standard for most households. If you run big loads often, or you have a longer duct run to the outside, once a year keeps lint from packing into the bends. Lint is the fuel, and a clean vent gives it nowhere to sit and build up.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the lint trap and the first few feet behind the dryer yourself, and you should do that often. The rest of the run, especially where it bends or climbs through a wall or the attic, needs a brush and vacuum built for the full length of the duct. A contractor can also check the vent hood outside and make sure air is actually moving out of it.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take two cycles to dry, a dryer that runs hot to the touch, and a musty smell in the laundry are the clearest signs. Check the outside vent hood too. If you barely feel air coming out while the dryer runs, the duct is blocked somewhere between the machine and the wall.