Dryer Vent Cleaning in St. Paul, MN
Tell us about your home, and a licensed contractor who covers Ramsey County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold makes lint stick faster
Your dryer pushes warm, damp air out through a vent that runs into cold air for eight months of the year, October through May. When that night air sits at 10°F, the vent walls near the outside stay cold too, and the warm air cools fast once it hits them. Lint carried along in that damp air sticks to a cold, wet wall much easier than it would to a warm, dry one.
Over a winter that buildup narrows the vent from the inside. Airflow drops, the dryer takes longer to dry a load, and the exhaust has less room to escape. A vent that stays clear moves air out fully every time the dryer runs.
- 10°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 8 months
- October through May, the vent stays cold
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- How often should a dryer vent be cleaned?
- Most homes need it cleaned once a year. Lint collects along the whole length of the vent, not just in the trap, and that buildup slows the airflow and makes the dryer run longer to get clothes dry. A contractor can tell you if your setup needs it more often once they see the length and layout of the run.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the first few feet yourself, but not the whole run. A vent brush kit reaches the section right behind the dryer, and that's worth doing on your own between cleanings. The rest of the vent usually runs through the wall and out to a hood on the outside of the house, and that stretch takes the right length of rod and a shop vac to clear properly. If your vent has bends in it or runs long, a contractor can get the whole line clean in one visit.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that need two cycles to dry, or come out hot but still damp, are the clearest sign. The outside of the dryer feels hot, the laundry room feels warmer than usual, and you may notice less lint in the trap than normal because it's getting caught further down the line. Check the vent hood outside too. If the flap doesn't open and close freely when the dryer is running, air isn't moving through the way it should.