Why Clean Your Dryer Vent?

Do your clothes take longer than 30-45 minutes to dry for a normal load? And does your clothes dryer get warm (or hot) to the touch while it is running? There's nothing wrong with your dryer, it's your dryer vent that is probably clogged and needs to be cleaned out.

Why should you clean your dryer vent?

There are several great reasons:

1. A clothes dryer can catch fire. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that in the U.S. in the year 2000, there were 12,700 clothes dryer fires resulting in $99,400,000 (that's 99 MILLION dollars) in damages, 330 injuries, and 20 lives lost. A clogged dryer vent adds to this risk. The lint is highly flammable and the reduction of air flow increases temperatures
2. Save on your utility bill with reduced drying time.
3. Replace your clothes dryer less often. The wear and tear on your clothes dryer will be lessened due to the reduced usage.
4. Create more time to spend on activities other that tending the laundry.

FAQ

How do I know that my clothes dryer vent needs to be cleaned?

Well, if your clothes take longer than 30-45 minutes to dry for a normal load, and your clothes dryer gets warm (or hot) to the touch while it is running...It's your dryer vent that is probably clogged and needs to be un-clogged.

Why should my dryer vent be cleaned?

There are several great reasons:

1. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that in 2000, there were 12,700 clothes dryer fires resulting in $99,400,000 in damages, 330 injuries, and 20 lives lost.
2. Save on your utility bill.
3. Replace your clothes dryer less often.
4. Create more time to spend on activities other that tending the laundry.

I clean out the lint screen every time I dry clothes. Why isn't that enough?

The screen is the interior filter for lint. The back of the dryer has a flexible hose which leads into a longer vent which many times terminates through the roof or a wall that is several feet away from the back of the dryer. This is the dryer vent that we are referring to. This vent can collect lint and become constricted and clogged which reduces the efficiency of the clothes dryer.

How often should my dry vent be cleaned?

It all depends on the following:

1. How many loads of laundry does the dryer handle?
2. What kind of laundry is washed: lots of lint-producing items, such as diapers or towels?
3. How many elbows are there?
4. How long is the venting?

The best way to determine the cleaning status is to monitor the drying time of typical laundry loads. When the loads take over 30-45 minutes to dry, it's time to clean out the vent.

My vent did not need to be cleaned for over 10 years, I had it cleaned less than a year ago, and now my clothes are taking longer to dry. Why is this?

When a dryer vent pipe is first installed, the insides are new and slick. Over time, the inside of the vent pipe is corroded with the moisture from the venting. When the lint is cleaned away, the inside of the pipe remains corroded which allows the lint to collect more quickly.

My dryer vents into my attic or garage. Is that OK?

Most building codes do not allow for your clothes dryer vent to terminate anywhere other that the exterior of the structure. Vent termination in an attic or garage is not acceptable and should be corrected as soon as possible.

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