What is a dryer vent?

Dryer vent are the tube that run from a clothes dryer to the exterior of the home or building. The dryer vent is the exhaust pipe for the clothes dryer. The clothes don’t dry unless the moisture has somewhere to escape. If you’re curious about why that is, check out my previous post here.

The dryer vent connects from the back of a clothes dryer to the exterior of a house. It needs to exhaust all the way out of the house because as previously mentioned, there’s moisture. The last thing you want is an extra dose of wet inside of your house. This is how mold grows. We’ve seen many homes that didn’t quite finish the vent. Rather than exhausting all the way to the outside, it stops inside of a wall or in an attic or someplace else. It’s gross and dangerous

How Often Should You Have Your Dryer Vents Cleaned

A good rule of thumb is to have your dryer exhaust vents inspected and cleaned by a professional at least once per year. However, if you have a household that uses your dryer often, such as one with a lot of children, you may want to consider increasing that amount to every six months.

The Benefits Of Cleaning Your Dryer Vent

Prevent Home Fires By Cleaning Your Dryer Vent

Improperly working dryer vents are one of the leading causes of clothes fires in homes. Lint that’s not removed from your dryer venting system can clog your system. If this happens and your dryer overheats, your chances of experiencing a fire increases. Fortunately, you can prevent this problem altogether. By getting your dryer vent cleaned, you reduce your chances of experiencing a clothing fire due to lint.

Save Energy

When the vent line of your dryer is clogged, the running time will have a tendency to increase. This results in excess energy expenditures of up to thirty dollars a month. The accumulation of line or other vent line blockages will cause inefficient dryer operation and a restriction in vent lines. This might even cause your machine to go to a complete stop for no apparent reason.

To Eliminate Unpleasant Burning Smells

While not nearly as serious as a dryer fire, that burning smell you may have noticed while running your dryer is a good indication that you should clean your vents. Lint and debris burning suggest that your dryer is overheating, likely due to buildup in the ducts and vents. Staying on top of cleaning will help to prevent these unpleasant smells and make sure that your dryer never reaches the point of catching fire.