Dryer Vent Cleaning in Greenville, SC
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It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold vents catch more lint
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air every load. Winter nights here average 34°F from December through February, and that cold air cools the exhaust fast as it moves through the vent. The moisture in that air condenses on the vent walls, and lint sticks to the wet metal instead of blowing outside. Layer after layer, the vent narrows.
A vent that cannot push air out backs up. The dryer runs hotter and takes longer to dry a load, and the lint that cannot escape sits in the duct.
- 34°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 7 months
- October through April, 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, though a longer or twisted duct run clogs faster than a short straight one. If several people in the house are doing laundry most days, lint builds up faster too. Watch how long clothes take to dry. If that time starts creeping up before the year is out, the vent needs attention sooner.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the lint trap and the first few feet of duct behind the dryer yourself, but the full run is harder to reach. Lint collects along the entire length of the duct and at the outside hood, not just near the dryer, and a shop vacuum usually cannot reach that far. A brush kit made for dryer vents extends your reach some, but a contractor has the tools to clean the whole run and check that the outside hood flap opens and closes freely.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take longer than usual to dry, or come out hot to the touch at the end of a cycle, are the clearest sign. A burning smell, a musty odor, or lint collecting around the outside vent hood are others. If the outside flap barely moves when the dryer runs, air is not getting through and the vent needs a look.