How Often Should Dryer Vents Be Cleaned?

The dryer vent is one of the most important components of a household dryer as it can have a significant negative impact on performance if it is not properly maintained. All of the hot, moist air that is produced during a drying cycle is vented to the outside through this single vent, which, as you can imagine, can easily become clogged over time.

Tiny fabric particles, dirt and lint will accumulate inside the vent every time you use your dryer and if you don’t do anything about this accumulation, it will soon start to reduce the efficiency and performance of your appliance. The easiest and most convenient solution is to call your local dryer vent cleaning specialists and ask them to come and work their magic on your machine. But how often should you do this?

The Minimum Recommended Dryer Vent Cleaning Frequency

At a minimum, we recommend that you have a professional come and clean your dryer vent once a year. Whether you might need to have it cleaned more often than this will depend on a number of factors, which we discuss below.

Factors to Consider When Deciding How Often to Have Your Dryer Vent Cleaned

If you are not sure whether you should have your vent cleaned more than once a year by a local expert, we recommend considering the following factors:

• The Length of your Dryer Vent / Duct – The further away your dryer is from the nearest external wall, the longer your dryer vent will be. As a general rule, the longer your vent ductwork, the faster it will accumulate lint, fabric particles and dirt. With this in mind, you should seriously consider having your vent cleaned more frequently if your machine is quite some distance from the nearest outside wall. If you have no idea whether your vent ductwork is unusually long, contact a local dryer duct cleaning expert and ask for their opinion.
• How Often You Use Your Dryer – Some families may only use their dryer once a week whereas others may use theirs several times a day. The more frequently you use yours, the faster the vent will become clogged with lint and other particles. If you think your machine gets a lot more use than most people’s, you should probably have it cleaned more often than once a year. If you simply don’t know whether you use your machine more often than is normal, you can follow the same advice we gave above and ask a local expert for their opinion. Readers who are located in Arvada or the surrounding area, should feel free to call and speak to a member of our team whenever convenient. For people who live in a completely different part of the country, we suggest searching for ‘dryer cleaning near me’ and calling a few of the companies you find.
• Whether You Have any Pets – Households with dogs or cats tend to encounter problems with clogged dryer vents a lot more frequently, due to the amount of pet hairs that end up in the dryer. This is especially so for families with long-haired cats or dogs that are known to molt a lot. If you have such pets in your house, it’s probably worth having your vent cleaned at least twice a year to make sure it does not become completed clogged.
• Whether You or Another Family Member Smokes – Houses where smokers live may also find they need to have their dryer vent cleaned more often than would otherwise be the case. The particles of smoke that cling to clothes and other fabrics in the home will eventually make their way into your dryer vent, where they can accelerate the clogging process. The more smokers in your household and the more they smoke, the more often you will need to call a dryer vent cleaning professional.

These are the main factors you should take into account when deciding how often to have your vent cleaned. Some other factors you may wish to consider include the level of dust around your home, how hot and steamy it gets in your laundry room and the age of your appliance.

Warning Signs That Indicate You Should Call a Vent Cleaning Professional Immediately

If you notice any of these signs, don’t wait until the next scheduled visit from your local dryer duct cleaning team: pick up the phone and call them straight away.

• Your machine becomes unusually hot during use
• The vent clapper will not open fully
• Clothes and other items still feel moist or exceptionally hot after drying

All of these signs are an indication that your vent is already clogged with an accumulation of dirt and debris that is beyond what is considered normal. Failure to have the vent cleaned at the earliest possible opportunity could lead to more serious issues with your dryer at a later date.

Why Call Our Arvada Dryer Vent Cleaning Team?

If you want to ensure that your vent is cleaned to the highest standards by experienced professionals who won’t make a mess in your laundry room, we are the people to call. At Steve’s Air Duct Cleaning, we specialize in dryer vent and air duct cleaning, and we are committed to providing all of our customers with the very best service possible. Call or message us now if you would like to find out more about our vent cleaning services.