5 Signs Your Dryer Vent Needs to be Cleaned

How Much Cleaning Does Your Dryer Really Need?

You clean your lint trap out. So, you’re covered, right? Not really! Failure to clean the dryer properly (34 percent) is the leading cause of home dryer fires. (FEMA) The lint trap is just one small part of the dryer. It definitely needs cleaned out with each load, but most dryer issues actually come from the dryer vent hose or duct behind the unit. Lint gets past the filter and deep inside the dryer. These dryer lines can be up to 35 feet long and trap all kinds of leftover lint and other material, which ultimately can end in a fire. There can also be clogs caused from the outside of the dryer vent cap – things like birds building nests or mice making themselves a home inside your dryer duct.

There are some warning signs that indicate your dryer vent needs a deep cleaning:

1. Clothes are warmer than usual at the end of the cycle

2. Clothes take longer to dry

3. Outside of the dryer gets very hot

4. Outside exhaust vent flap does not open as much as expected

5. Burning smell is noticeable in laundry room

How Often Should You Clean Your Dryer Vent?

Dryer vent cleaning services are recommended once a year. We utilize compressed air with a special fitting for dryer vents to reach anything your usual dryer cleaning may have missed.

Whenever you’re going to hire a dryer vent cleaner in Cincinnati, or any area, make sure you ask what type of system they’re using to clean. If it’s a standard dryer vent brush, you can do that yourself! Just make sure to get a thorough dryer vent clean at least once a year to ensure dryer safety.

Can’t I Clean My Own Dryer Vent?

You can definitely buy a dryer vent cleaning kit from Home Depot, Lowe’s or most retailers. If you have a short, straight dryer duct run then you may be able to do a thorough cleaning job using one of these kits. However, if you have a long run or any turns in your dryer duct then the brush in these cleaning kits is not going to be able to effectively clean the dryer vent. We have been called out a few times to retrieve these brushes as they’ve gotten stuck.

Click here to visit our dryer vent cleaning page for more information or to schedule a cleaning online.