With the typical American household dryer logging nearly 500 cycles per year it's a wonder that more people don't regularly inspect the exhaust vent on their machine. Your dryer actively vents moisture-laden air to the outside to help it more efficiently dry your clothes. This air contains particles of lint, dirt, and other debris which over time build up on your exhaust port, the exhaust tube, and the exterior vent and screen. As this debris builds up it restricts the flow of air from your dryer to the outdoors which makes your dryer work harder to remove the same amount of moisture. It also increases drying time which in turn draws more energy and increases your electricity costs.

Why You Should Get Your Dryer Vent Cleaned

There are several reasons why it is important to get your dryer vents professionally cleaned. Many of them have to do with safety, maintenance, performance, and cost. For the most part, we all do basic maintenance when we clean out the lint traps on our dryers in between laundry loads, but is that enough?

Lint can build up in more places than you think, that small dryer filter can get most of the lint but nowhere close to all of it. Instead, lint can get trapped everywhere including the lint trap, the interior dryer duct, the dryer vent, and especially the dryer itself. Unfortunately, this can easily turn into a safety and health hazard.

As most homes have accordion-like foil or plastic vinyl dryer vents that are prone to extreme link buildup, their ridged shape quickly collects lint and easily restricts airflow. Therefore, making them a major fire hazard and putting additional pressure on your machine and its energy cost.

Warning Signs That Your Dryer Vents Need to Be Professionally Cleaned

When should you get your air vents cleaned? Are there any warning signs you should look out for? The answer is yes! The first major sign to look out for is if your dryer operating isn’t as good as it used to. If you have run your laundry for longer than you used to, or after one cycle your clothes aren’t completely dry. Your dryer works by removing moist or hot are from your clothes, thus if something is blocking the air from getting out, your dryer will have to work harder, and you will be forced to run your clothes through a couple extra times.

Another telltale sign that you need to get your dryer vents cleaned is that your clothes will come out of the dry unusually hot. When air can’t escape it can result in your dryer, your clothes, or your laundry becoming extremely warm as the air has nowhere to go.

The last and most noticeable sign that your dryer vents need to be professionally cleaned is if they have an unusual smell. Lint is not the only thing that gets trapped in your vents, built-up bacteria, slime, mildew, or soap scum can also be blocking your vents and transferring those elements onto your clothes.

How Can Professional Dryer Vent Cleaning Help You and Your Home?

Regular laundry room maintenance can help save your home by reducing the risk of fire damage, as lint is an extremely flammable substance and it causes approximately 15,000 home fires each year. Cleaning your dryer vent regularly can also save you money. As clogged dryer vents can generate extra wear and tear on your appliance this can lead to more expensive breakdowns and in extreme cases replacements. Also, the harder your dryer has to work the more energy it uses which leads to higher energy bills.

Finally, and most important reason to have your dryer professionally cleaned is for you and your family’s health. When the dryer vent is clogged, dangerous carbon monoxide gases aren’t able to escape. Instead, they build up inside the vent and may seep out into the laundry room and other areas of the home.

Let Steve's Air Duct Cleaning save you money and wear and tear on your dryer by inspecting, cleaning, or replacing your dryer vent. Your dryer, your health, and your wallet will thank you for it.