Dryer Vent Cleaning in North Bennington, VT
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Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold vent walls catch the lint your dryer pushes out
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air, and outside that air hits a vent running through a cold house. From December through February those nights average 13°F, so the vent cools fast, and the moisture in the exhaust settles on the walls before it ever reaches outside. Lint sticks to that damp surface instead of blowing clear, and the buildup narrows the vent a little more each month.
A vent that can't push air out easily backs moisture up into the space around the dryer. Over a winter that runs September through May, that is a long stretch for damp air to have somewhere to go.
- 13°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 9 months
- September 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 general rule for most households. Lint builds up inside the vent run even when the lint trap gets cleaned every time, because the trap only catches what passes through the screen. A vent that runs long or has several bends collects more lint per load and may need attention sooner than a short, straight one.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the first few feet on either end, but the full run is hard to reach without the right tools. A vent brush kit with flexible rods can clear a straight, short vent if you can access both the dryer end and the outside hood. Once the vent has bends, runs through a wall or ceiling, or extends more than a few feet, a shop vac and a short brush will not reach the middle of it, and lint left behind there is what causes fires. If you are not getting a full, unbroken pull of air at the outside hood after cleaning what you can reach, the rest of the line still needs a contractor with longer rods and a camera to check the work.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take more than one cycle to dry, a dryer that runs hot to the touch on the outside, and a burning smell during the cycle are the main signs. Check the outside vent hood while the dryer runs. If the flap barely moves or you feel weak airflow, the line is restricted. Lint collecting around the lint trap door or a musty smell in the laundry room can also mean lint is backing up further down the vent.