Dryer Vent Cleaning in Blaine, MN
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It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold air turns lint into a wall inside your vent
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 has somewhere to land. Lint sticks to a damp wall a lot better than it sticks to a dry one, so it builds up in layers instead of blowing clear out the hood.
With winter nights here averaging 9°F, that vent stays cold most of the day, not just overnight. The buildup narrows the path the air has to take, so the dryer works harder to push the same load of exhaust out, and the heat and moisture it can't push out stay in the vent.
- 9°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 9 months
- September through May, 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 standard, and here with the dryer running nine months out of the year, that yearly cleaning matters more than it would somewhere warmer. Lint builds up inside the vent every time you dry a load, not just in the lint trap. A vent that never gets cleaned traps more lint each month, and the dryer has to push air through it that whole time.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the parts you can reach, but that is usually not the whole job. Pulling the dryer out and cleaning the first few feet of duct with a vacuum and a brush kit helps, and it is worth doing between full cleanings. The trouble is the rest of the run, especially if the vent goes up through a wall or across a long stretch to reach outside. A contractor has rods and brushes built to clear the full length and check that the vent hood outside is actually opening and letting air out.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take longer than they used to, or that come out hot instead of dry, are the first sign. The top of the dryer feels hot to the touch, or the laundry room gets noticeably warmer while it runs. You may notice less airflow at the vent hood outside, or lint collecting around the hood itself. A burning smell is not normal and means the vent needs attention right away.