One of the things we do every day is done the laundry. While the majority of people dislike doing laundry, some people do find it to be somewhat therapeutic.
To increase a dryer’s effectiveness, a dryer vent needs to be cleaned frequently. Lint and other dirt and debris that are impairing the performance of the dryer are removed with regular dryer vent cleaning. How often to clean dryer vent? A good rule of thumb is to clean the dryer vent every year to remove any lint buildup.
Learn more about dryer vent cleaning by continuing to read.
You May Also Like: How To Clean A Cloudy Pool?
Table of Contents
Signs To Clean Your Dryer Vent
- Your clothes are taking much longer than usual to dry;
- Both your clothing and the dryer exterior get very hot;
- Presence of debris around the dryer hose;
- The vent hood flap does not open properly;
- The dryer vent has not been inspected for more than a year;
- You notice a strange burning smell on the clothes;
- When the dryer is running, the laundry room feels overheated.
Dryer Vent Cleaning Process
Cleaning the dryer vents entails more than just clearing the filter of debris. There are a lot more things that require inspection and cleaning. An explanation of the entire dryer vent cleaning procedure is provided below.
1: Examine the dryer vent opening. To do this, step outside and carefully examine the dryer vent.
2. Removing barriers. Removed are any dirt, junk, leaves, and animal waste that have gathered outside and impeded the flow of lint.
3. Clean the dryer vent of any lint and other debris that has accumulated there.
4. The dryer’s lint trap and drum need to be thoroughly cleaned.
How Often To Clean Your Dryer Vent?
Experts recommend cleaning the dryer vent at least once a year and the lint trap vent after each load. However, it is recommended that you clean the dryer vent more often if:
Family Size
A large family size necessitates washing more loads of laundry each day. The dryer builds up more lint the more you use it on a daily basis. Thus, it requires cleaning on a regular basis.
Presence Of Pets
Your home’s vents will clog up more quickly if you have pets than it would in a house without pets. In order to clear pet hair and fur from the vent, it is crucial to regularly clean the dryer.
How Often You Purchase New Clothes
According to research, new clothes generate more lint than used ones. So, if you frequently purchase new clothing, you should clean your dryer vents several times a year.
Type Of Laundry
More lint is produced by bulky items like blankets and towels, which quickly clogs the dryer vent. Therefore, it is advised that you clean your dryer vent several times a year if the majority of your laundry is bulky clothing.
Benefits Of Cleaning Dryer Vent
Reduce Fire Hazard
Reducing the likelihood of a dryer duct fire is probably the biggest advantage.
In the US, dryer fires happen quite frequently. and around the world, because lint is so highly flammable and it ends up blocking the vent. The risk of lint igniting increases when the duct becomes blocked or constrained.
Speed Up Drying Time
Your ability to dry your clothes quickly can be greatly improved by clearing the lint from the dryer vent.
Some dryers have dried a single load in less than 30 minutes as opposed to the typical 2 hours that they used to take.
You probably need a dryer vent cleaning if you think it takes your clothes too long to dry.
Extend Life Of Dryer
As you might expect, your dryer experiences more wear and tear if the airflow is restricted.
Your dryer’s lifespan will be shortened if it is used more frequently than it was intended to.
When the airflow is restricted, dryers can become very hot, and this extra heat will eventually harm the dryer’s motor and electrical parts.
Possible Downsides Of Cleaning Dryer Vent
Detachment Of Dryer Vent Cleaning Tool
The potential for the dryer vent cleaning tool to become stuck inside the duct is a common disadvantage of this procedure.
For DIY or home-use tools, this is more of a concern than for professional dryer vent cleaning equipment.
A set of plastic rods with a brush attachment at one end make up the DIY dryer vent cleaning tool. Unfortunately, these inexpensive home dryer vent cleaning tools frequently fall apart inside the dryer duct, making it difficult to remove them.
You’ll probably need to hire a contractor if it breaks apart in the dryer duct so that you can try to retrieve it.
Very Long Duct And Many Bends
In rare instances, a dryer vent cleaning might not really make a difference if the duct is bad.
A dryer vent cleaning may not make a difference in drying times if your dryer duct is longer than 20 feet and has numerous 90-degree bends.
If your dryer is still underperforming after a dryer vent cleaning (and the air flow is still poor), you might want to think about moving your dryer duct to a different location.
Dryer Vent Cleaning Service Cost
The typical price range for dryer vent cleaning is $75 to $200.
If you also want your HVAC ducts cleaned, you might be able to get it as part of an air duct cleaning package.
There are companies that specialize in dryer vent cleaning only, but air duct cleaning and chimney sweep services also clean dryer vents.
How To Keep Your Dryer Vent Clean?
- Replace dryer sheets with liquid fabric softener if you currently use them.
- Switch out the flexible vent pipe for a solid vent pipe.
- Put the dryer closer to the exterior wall.
- Between loads, give the dryer at least 15 minutes to cool.
