Dryer Vent Cleaning in St. Albans, VT
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Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold air turns dryer lint into a wall
Every load sends warm, damp air through the vent and out. On a night near 11 degrees, that air cools fast once it hits metal that cold. The moisture in it beads up on the vent walls, and the lint riding along in the air sticks there instead of blowing outside.
Once that layer builds, the vent narrows and the dryer has to push harder to clear it. Warm air backs up instead of venting out, and that trapped heat and moisture have nowhere to go but into the space around the vent.
- 11°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 standard advice for most households. Lint builds up inside the vent run itself, not just the trap, and that buildup is what slows the dryer down and makes it run hotter than it should. If drying times are getting longer or the dryer feels hotter than it used to, do not wait for the year mark.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the parts you can reach, but most homes cannot clear the whole vent run that way. The lint trap and the first few feet behind the dryer come clean with a vacuum or a long brush. The rest of the run, especially where it bends or passes through the wall to the outside hood, usually needs a rod-and-brush kit long enough to reach the full length, or a contractor with the right equipment.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that need more than one cycle to dry, or come out hot but still damp, is the clearest sign. Others include the outside vent hood flap barely moving or not opening at all when the dryer runs, a burning smell, and the dryer getting hotter to the touch than usual. Lint collecting around the hood outside the house is also worth checking, since it means the vent is not clearing the way it should.