Dryer vent have clothes dryers that are great (especially in the winter when you can’t hang your clothes out to dry), but they also need maintenance like any other appliance. While you may not often think to clean out your dryer vent, it’s an important and beneficial thing to do.
Why You Should Clean Out Your Dryer Vent
Efficiency
At Oliver, we know a dryer isn’t a cheap investment, so you should help make it last as long as possible. By cleaning out your dryer vents, you’ll increase the efficiency of your dryer. Not only will it be able to dry your clothes faster, but it will also be able to dry them more thoroughly, saving you time. Plus, the more efficient you keep it running, the longer its lifespan will be.
Fire Hazard
Did you know that every year, around 18,000 fires are caused by clogged or blocked dryer vents (according to the National Fire Protection Agency)? If your vents are clogged or blocked with lint, that lint can easily get too hot and catch on fire. After that, it won’t take long for things surrounding your dryer to catch fire as well, and you don’t want to put yourself and your family in danger.
Lower Energy Costs
With a clean vent, your dryer can run more efficiently. When it runs more efficiently, you’ll use less energy to dry your clothes. No one wants to spend more in gas or electricity than they have to, so do yourself a favor and clean your vents.
Signs It’s Time to Clean Your Dryer Vent:
- Drying time takes longer and longer.
- You notice a burning smell.
- Your clothes are very hot.
- The outside of your dryer is hotter than usual.
- It’s been more than a year since you cleaned them last.
- You can see lint or debris around the dryer hose or vent opening.
Professional advantages
Many dryers have only a short amount of ductwork to vent to the exterior. However, others will vent through the roof or extend for dozens of feet before they reach the outside. Antenor says an HVAC professional will be able to save you time and do a better job of cleaning longer vents.
Attempting to clean a vent on your own can sometimes make the blockages even worse if your brush isn’t long enough to clear the entire length of the hose or duct. Instead, you’ll push the lint into a concentrated area in the middle of the vent.
Brush kits are sometimes insufficient for the job. They may even end up puncturing a dryer hose if you are not careful. Brushes can also get caught on the ridges of flexible ducts, at which point you’ll have to call in a professional to get this new obstacle out of the vent.