Dryer Vent Cleaning in Parkersburg, WV
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It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold air in the vent makes lint stick
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air every load. Once that air hits the cold vent run, it cools fast, and the moisture in it settles on the walls of the duct. Lint sticks to a damp surface far more than a dry one, so the buildup packs in tighter with every winter night near 25°F.
A vent that cannot push air out all the way forces your dryer to run longer to dry the same load. Wet lint stays put and narrows the duct further, and with heat needed in the house from October through April, a clogged vent is working against a furnace that is already running hard.
- 25°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. A household that runs the dryer more, or has a vent run with several bends, will build up lint faster and may need it looked at sooner. If drying times start creeping up between cleanings, that is the vent telling you it is due.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the first few feet, at the back of the dryer and where the duct starts, with a vacuum or a basic brush kit. What you can't easily reach is lint packed further down the duct or built up at the outside vent hood, especially if the run is long or has several bends. A contractor uses a brush on a rod long enough to clear the whole line, and checks that the vent hood flap outside is opening all the way when the dryer runs.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take longer than one cycle to dry, or come out hot to the touch at the end, is the clearest sign. Others are a burning smell while the dryer runs, the outside vent hood flap barely moving or not moving at all when you check it, and heavy lint building up around the lint trap door or behind the machine. Any of these mean air isn't getting out the way it should, and it's worth having the vent looked at before it gets worse.