How Often To Clean A Dryer Vent? A Must Read Guide!

Do you need to know how often to clean your dryer’s exhaust duct? Then, you’ve come to the right place. The purpose of a dryer vent and how to clean it are the subjects of this article.

The dryer’s vent is its most important component. On the dryer’s rear, you’ll find it. The dryer vent’s primary function is to remove moisture from the air. It also gets rid of the dangerous byproducts of gas combustion, such as carbon monoxide.

If you want your dryer to work properly and last as long as possible, you should deep clean it every six months. This is because lint from your dryer might build up in the vent. Cleaning it once a year is recommended as a result. If you use your dryer frequently enough to run it more than twice a day, you should clean the exhaust vent at least once every six months. If you don’t clean and maintain your dryer vent, you run the risk of developing a variety of issues, such as a musty odor, a gas smell, a hot dryer, and more.

Why Clean Your Dryer Exhaust?

One of the many things that we take for granted until it breaks down (usually when we have a huge load of damp towels that we need to dry promptly) is the dryer. Annual maintenance can go a long way toward keeping your dryer in good working order and increasing its longevity. Dryer machines wear out faster if they are clogged, because they have to work more.

To ensure the safety of you and your family, you should also get your dryer vent cleaned. Lint from dryers is highly combustible. The most common cause of dryer fires is a failure to remove lint from the system on a regular basis.

Signs that it is time to clean your dryer vent:

• It’s taking significantly longer than normal for your garments to dry;
• The dryer’s exterior heats up as well as your clothes;
• Debris accumulating around the dryer’s hose
• The hood vent flap won’t open.
• More than a year has passed since the last time the dryer vent was checked.
• Burning smells are noticeable on the clothing.
• When the dryer is running, the room becomes too hot.

What does a complete dryer vent cleaning include?

Dryer vent cleaning is more than just clearing the filter of debris. Checking and cleaning up a lot of other stuff is required first. The following is a step-by-step guide on cleaning a dryer vent.

The first step is a visual inspection of the dryer vent. To do this, go outdoors and thoroughly inspect the dryer vent.

Step 2: Getting rid of obstructions The outside of the lint trap is cleaned of all dirt, debris, leaves, and animal wastes that have collected over time.

It’s time to clean out the dryer vent of lint and other gunk that’s built up there.

In this step, the area behind the dryer is thoroughly cleaned.

Cleaning the dryer’s lint trap and drum is the final step in the process.

Indication To Cleaning The Dryer Vent

The lint that accumulates in your dryer’s vent is the most common cause of clogged dryer vents. The following telltale signs suggest that the dryer vent needs to be cleaned. The laundry will take longer to dry in the dryer than usual. As the dryer heats up, both the laundry and the dryer’s exterior are warmed. In addition, your dryer will emit either a burning or a gas-like odor. The smell can spread from the dryer into the clothes and eventually into the laundry room. When your dryer vent hasn’t been cleaned in a year, it’s likely to become clogged.

How To Clean A Dryer Vent

Step #1. Switch off the unit

Most of the time, the lint from your laundry in your dryer blocks your dryer vent. Signs that it’s time to clean the dryer vent include the following: The laundry will take longer to dry in the dryer than it normally does. The outer surface of the dryer and the laundry heat up. You’ll also notice a burning or gas-like scent from your dryer if it’s broken. There is a risk that a scent from the dryer will spread to the garments and laundry area. A clogged dryer vent is more likely to occur when it has not been cleaned in a year.

Step #2. Locate the dryer vent

It is common for the dryer vent to have a diameter of four inches and come in a range of lengths. Dryer ducts can be rigid or flexible, as well. According to the distance between the wall and the dryer, you can choose a model that fits your needs. The dryer’s exhaust vent goes all the way to the ceiling and beyond. An exhaust hood is the part of the dryer vent that extends outside the wall. So, you’ve managed to locate the dryer’s vent and the range hood. From the hood of the exhaust, take a look inside. Dust, dirt, and even tiny animals have been known to sneak their way into the dryer’s exhaust system. The stench of a dryer might also be caused by a dead animal in the dryer vent.

Step #3. Withdraw the vent

You’ll have to take the vent out of the wall now. To begin, remove any tape or fasteners that connect your dryer vent pipe to the exhaust system…. Gently extract the vent from your laundry room after that. When removing the dryer vent, take extra care not to damage it.

Step #4. Use a vacuum to clean the vent

You can use a vacuum line attachment to remove lint, dirt, and other debris from the dryer vent after you have access to the pipe’s open end. A large dead animal, such a mouse, may need to be removed from the hose before vacuuming. When cleaning the ducting, don’t forget the exterior. If you don’t have a vacuum, use a brush and a microfiber cloth to remove the dirt.

Step #5. Use of brush

You’ll have to clean the vent again to remove all the lint and debris. Using a stiff brush from the vent cleaning kit, follow up with vacuuming. You may get this kit at any hardware store in your neighborhood. Connect the power drill to the brush. To use a power drill, you can either find one in a toolbox at home or buy one. Then, gently insert the brush’s end into the vent. Deepen the vent with the brush. However, depending of the path and the connection, you may need to carefully push the cleaning brush into the dryer vent.

Step #6. Push the vent back into the exhaust hood

The dirt and debris will fall to the floor when you clean the vent. As a result, take some mops and a dustpan and get to work mopping the floor. You can clean using a vacuum if you have one. Replace the dryer exhaust hose after it has been cleaned. Make sure you use tapes and clamps to secure it in place. If you come across a dead animal, we recommend that you use wire mesh to seal the exhaust hood. If necessary, you can also utilize mouse traps.

Step #7. Switch on the dryer

Run the dryer for a few minutes to see how much air is coming out of it. Knowing why my washing machine smells and how to prevent and clean it is a good idea.

How often should you clean a lint trap vent and the dryer vent?

Lint traps and dryer vents should be cleaned on a yearly basis, at the very least, according to experts. However, it is recommended that you clean the dryer vent more frequently if you have the following conditions:

Family size

A large family size means more loads of clothes need to be washed each day. The more often you use the dryer each day, the higher the amount of lint it accumulates. A thorough cleaning is consequently required at least twice a year.

Presence of Pets

A large household necessitates a greater number of loads of laundry to be done each day. There is a direct correlation between how often you use the dryer and how much lint it collects. Because of this, it is necessary to clean it multiple times a year.

How often you purchase new clothes

New clothes produce more lint than used garments, according to research. You should clean your dryer vents several times a year if you like to buy new garments frequently.

Type of laundry

Dryer vent clogs are more likely to occur with large, bulky laundry, such as blankets and towels. As a result, if the majority of your laundry is made up of heavy items, it is recommended that you clean your dryer vent on a regular basis.

What do you gain from regular dryer vent cleaning?

It saves energy

Cleaning your dryer vent on a regular basis will help it run more efficiently, saving you money on your utility bill. Energy costs can be reduced by as much as 30 percent if dryer vents are cleaned regularly.

Reduced maintenance cost

Regular dryer vent cleaning reduces the risk of overheating and clogging. As a result, it is less prone to malfunction or breakdown.

Reduces the risk of fire

The flammability of lint is really high. It can start a fire if it’s let to build up on the vent. Lint can build up over time, which increases the risk of a fire if it isn’t cleaned on a regular basis.

It reduces wear and tear on the dryer

The dryer has to work twice as hard to dry your clothing if the dryer vent isn’t cleaned regularly. The dryer’s critical elements can be damaged by being put under too much stress. Cleaning your dryer on a regular basis will help it run more efficiently, hence decreasing its wear and tear.

How to keep your dryer vent clean

• You should use a liquid fabric softener instead of dryer sheets.
• Solid vent pipe should be used in place of flexible vent pipe.
• Closer to the outside wall, the dryer should be placed.
• Allow at least 15 minutes for the dryer to cool down between loads.

You still need to clean your dryer vents at least once a year even if you take these precautionary measures! If you don’t want to do it yourself, call a Dustless Duct to clean your dryer vent.

How Does Lint Get Into The Dryer Vent?

Even though there is a lint trap it will often let pass some of the elements into the vent hose and exhaust out of the home. If you go to the outside of your home and take a look at the dryer vent cap it will often be littered with lint, strings, and dirt. This is especially true when there is a gridded cap that prevents animals or birds from getting inside. The lint is forming a cakey material on the outside of the bird guard due to the elements being spread throughout the vent cap’s perimeter. Lint and other debris can collect on the vent cap’s interior if it has a screen. Keeping animals or birds out of your dryer vent is a big problem here. That is why the creators of these dryer vent caps have created screens or guards. Keep an eye on the buildup and clean as necessary, but it’s up to you to keep an eye on things. Look at the dryer vent cap if you’re out in the yard and check if it needs to be cleaned. The dryer vent may also need to be vacuumed if the filter needs to be cleaned.

How Often Should Larger Households Clean Their Dryer Vent?

In spite of the fact that there is a lint trap, the vent hose typically allows some of the elements to flow through and exhaust outside the home as a result. It is common for the dryer vent cap to be littered with lint, threads, and dirt if you examine it from the exterior of your home. A gridded cap, which stops animals and birds from entering, is very important in these cases. The lint is forming a cakey material on the outside of the bird guard due to the elements being spread throughout the vent cap’s perimeter. An additional source of lint and particle buildup is the vent cap screen, which can be found sometimes on the interior of the vent cap. Keeping animals or birds out of your dryer vent is a problem here. As a result, dryer vent caps’ designers developed screens or guards. However, as a homeowner, you must keep an eye out for lint buildup and clean as needed. It’s a good idea to inspect the dryer vent cap while you’re in the yard. Vacuuming the dryer vent may be necessary if the filter is clogged or otherwise needs to be cleaned.

Dryer vents should be cleaned at least twice a year in homes that use their dryers more frequently. In a typical home, the NFPA suggests cleaning dryers once a year. Households that frequently use the clothes dryer need to maintain a close check on the appliance’s performance. The dryer should be checked out if one suspects that it isn’t drying all of the clothing in it thoroughly. At the very least, use a flashlight to see into the vent hose if you don’t want to pay a service technician to do so. Anyone, even a complete novice, may complete this task. If you see a buildup of lint in your dryer vent, it’s time to have it serviced.

Laundromat Dryer Vent Cleaning

When running a commercial laundromat one needs to make sure that it’s dryer vents get cleaned at least once a year. Unlike home clothes dryers, the appliances used in a laundromat are bigger and more powerful. This allows them to handle larger amounts of laundry at a higher rate. At the same time there is a build up of lint and all of the lint trays need to be cleaned every so often. For this type of job a simple Hoover vacuum is not going to the job. You need to hire a laundromat dryer vent cleaner that can do a very thorough job on all the clothes dryers. That means vacuuming out the front and back of the dryers and the drum compartment area. The real difficult part of which you will need an expert cleaner is for the actual dryer vent. These vents are at least twice the size of a residential dryer vent and can play host to many combustible elements. The specialist will take a special dryer vent cleaning brush and attach it to an air pressured hose which is placed up the vent. At the opening of the vent where the brush is inserted, the cleaner will place a powerful vacuum hose to suck out all the debris which was loosened by the brush. Trying to do this by yourself is a bit complicated and can also be very messy. This is why it’s highly recommended to hire a laundromat dryer vent cleaner that is licensed and insured. Using anyone off the street with no prior commercial dryer vent cleaning knowledge might damage the hosing which can hinder the performance of the appliances.

How To Tell It Is Time To Have Your Dryer Exhaust Cleaned

Commercial laundromat owners must clean their dryer vents at least once every year if they want to stay in business. Laundry machines are larger and more powerful than the ones you’d find at home. As a result, they can manage more laundry at a faster pace. Lint accumulates in the lint trays, so they must be cleaned on a regular basis. There is no need for a simple Hoover vacuum for this type of work, though. Hire a laundromat dryer vent cleaning service that can do a thorough job on all of the dryers in the establishment. This calls for thorough vacuuming of the dryers’ interiors, including the drum chamber. An expert cleaner will be needed in order to clean your dryer vent. Many combustible materials can be found in these vents, which are at least twice as large as the typical dryer vent in a home. Using a special brush and an air pressured hose, the expert will clean the vents with ease. A powerful suction hose will be placed at the aperture of the vent where the brush is inserted to remove all the dirt that was dislodged by the brush. To do this on your own can be a bit of a challenge because it’s time-consuming and untidy. As a result, hiring a laundromat dryer vent cleaner that is both licensed and insured is strongly suggested. You could risk damaging the appliance’s performance if you hire a stranger with no prior experience in commercial dryer vent cleaning.

• Things take longer to dry, such as needed to put clothes back in for a second cycle
• Things take longer to dry, such as the need to put garments back into the dryer for a second cycle.
• During the drying process, the dryer is very hot to the touch.
• When the dryer is running, it emits a weird scent, such as a burnt or musty one.

DIY Dryer Cleaning

For example, you should frequently clean and maintain the drum and filter of your dryer. In between expert dryer maintenance sessions, it’s important to perform routine maintenance on these sections of your appliance. Tips on how to clean your dryer at home are provided below.

Filter

Every time you use your dryer, make sure you clean the filter. A little door on top of or just inside the dryer normally provides access to this filter. It’s as simple as putting on your clothes, pulling out the filter, and removing the lint that accumulates over time. After a couple of uses, you should wash your filter to ensure maximum performance. Fabric softeners and dryer sheets might clog the filter’s mesh, reducing its efficiency.

To discover if your filter needs to be cleaned, remove any excess lint and test the mesh screen with a tiny amount of water. If water is accumulating instead of draining, it’s time for a wash. The mesh should be cleaned with warm, soapy water and a brush or sponge until water can flow freely through it.

Drum

The portion of your dryer into which the clothes are placed is known as the drum. To keep the drum clean, you should wipe it down on a regular basis to avoid the accumulation of muck or other debris. This is especially true if you have a lot of pets or young children in your home that wear dirty play clothing while playing. Use a moist cloth to wipe out the dryer’s drum if you find pet dander or grit within.

Is there anything that can be done if there is a spare stick of gum or lipstick in the drum? There is no need to worry if you find residue left after your garments have been removed. Allow the dryer to warm up for a few minutes to get rid of any lint that may have accumulated in the drum (maybe with some towels or rags inside). The residue can be scraped off the inside of the drum with a towel or even a hard spatula. You can also use a damp cloth, a small quantity of laundry detergent, and some hot water to get rid of any remaining residue.

Professional Maintenance

Is it time to have your dryer vents cleaned annually? Schedule your dryer exhaust inspection and cleaning with the experts at AirPro Indoor Air Solutions now.

FAQs

Is it worth cleaning dryer vent?

Lint can build up in these ducts over time, and when it comes into contact with heated air, it can ignite, posing a fire threat. There are hundreds of injuries and even deaths caused by dryer duct fires every year. To keep your dryer running well, experts recommend that you clear up your ductwork twice each year.

How often should I have my dryer vent professionally cleaned?

Every year, it’s a good idea to have a professional inspect and clean your dryer exhaust vents. You may want to consider raising this to every six months if you have a household that often uses the dryer, such as a family with many children.

What happens if you don’t clean your dryer vent?

If you don’t clean it out, the dryer won’t be able to exhaust the hot air, causing it to overheat. The most common cause of laundry dryer fires in the house is a failure to clear the lint trap.

Can I clean dryer vent myself?

Cleaning a dryer duct isn’t a complicated task. Hand-clean the duct’s interior of lint before vacuuming it thoroughly. If possible, use hose extensions to remove as much of the duct as possible. Get out of the home and unscrew the vent cover on the outside.

How do pros clean dryer vents?

Initially, they’ll look for and remove the dryer’s external cap. In order to clear the vent of any material, they’ll use a snake brush and a tube-like vacuum to slide along the tube. The majority of cleanings involve scraping and sweeping dirt from the vent.

Is it normal for lint to come out of dryer vent?

When lint is flowing out of your dryer vent, it implies that your ventilation system is becoming clogged with lint at an alarming pace. This is a clear sign that you need to have your vents cleaned.

Should lint be coming out of dryer vent?

Your dryer’s exhaust air exits through the outside vent. If lint is accumulating around the vent entrance, it is likely that the system needs to be cleaned.

Can a dryer vent go up?

… The maximum height of a dryer vent is equal to the whole length of any dryer vent, 35-40 feet. It doesn’t matter what kind of material you choose to vent your dryer. A dryer can be vented using aluminum, PVC, metal, or metal flex, but you can’t run one longer than the other.

What happens when your dryer vent is clogged?

A clogged dryer vent will make it more difficult for you to get your clothing clean and dry, making it take longer and longer for them to dry. Your dryer vent has to be cleaned out if your garments come out of the dryer and still feel wet.

Why is it important to check the lint trap in the dryer before every load?

Reduce your utility costs by keeping the lint screen clean. A clogged screen forces the dryer to work harder, increasing your utility costs. Allowing more air to flow out of the dryer’s exhaust vent improves its efficiency.

How does lint get past the lint trap?

The lint that gets through the lint filter trap and into the dryer’s ductwork gets caught in crevices all the way to the dryer’s exterior vent hole. Over time, the lint can catch fire because of the reduced airflow caused by the accumulation of lint.

How do I get lint out of my dryer vent?

Turn off the gas and unplug the dryer before removing it from the wall and removing the duct from it. Remove the lint from the duct by brushing it out and then vacuuming it up.

It’s A Wrap!

The frequency with which you need to have your dryer vent cleaned will have an impact on how often you need to have it cleaned. The more people you have living in your home, the more frequently you’ll need to clean it. On the other hand, if the dryer is only used twice or three times a week, cleaning it once a year should suffice. If you are unable to clean the dryer vent on your own, you can hire a professional to do so. Keep your dryer in good working order with regular maintenance. Lint trap filters make cleaning the dryer vent a breeze. How often should you clean your dryer vent? Learn how to clean a washer drain hose and how to run a clean cycle in an Electrolux washer by reading associated articles.