Dryer Vent Cleaning in Faribault, MN
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It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold air turns dryer lint into a wall
Your dryer pushes warm, damp air out through the vent every time it runs. On a night near 10 below, that vent is cold well before the air reaches the outside hood. The air cools fast, the moisture in it clings to the duct walls, and the lint riding along with it sticks right there instead of blowing clear.
Over a winter that buildup narrows the vent from the inside. Air that should rush out the hood starts backing up, and a dryer working against a blocked vent takes longer to dry a load and runs hotter than it should the whole time.
- 10°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 for most households. That keeps lint from building up to the point where it blocks airflow. If drying times start stretching longer than that, don't wait for the year mark, have it checked sooner.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the lint trap and the first few feet of duct behind the dryer yourself with a vent brush kit. What you usually cannot reach is the full run to the outside wall, especially if it bends or travels through an attic or crawlspace. A contractor has the tools to clear the whole length and check that the vent hood outside is opening and closing the way it should.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take longer than one cycle to dry, a dryer that feels hot to the touch on top, and a burning smell are the main signs. Less airflow at the outside vent hood when the dryer is running is another. A clogged vent also traps heat inside the dryer itself, which puts more strain on the parts that run it.