Dryer Vent Cleaning in Granite City, IL
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Cold vent walls catch the lint your dryer pushes out
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air every time it runs. That air has to travel through a vent that sits in cold space for a good stretch of the year, and Granite City winter nights average 25°F from December through February. When the warm air hits those cold vent walls, it cools fast, and the moisture in it turns to dampness on the inside of the vent. Lint sticks to a damp wall far more than it does to a dry one.
Over a winter that buildup narrows the vent. Air moves through slower, so the dryer takes longer to get clothes dry, and the motor runs longer to do it. A vent that stays packed with lint is also a fire risk, since lint is what catches.
- 25°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 7 months
- October through April, the vent stays cold
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- How often should a dryer vent be cleaned?
- A dryer vent should be cleaned once a year. Lint builds up inside the duct even when the lint trap looks clean, and that buildup is what a yearly cleaning clears out. A household that runs the dryer more than most, or has a longer vent run with several turns in it, should have it checked more often.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the first few feet near the dryer yourself, but the full run is hard to reach without the right tools. Most vents run through a wall or ceiling to an outside hood, and a shop vac or a brush from a hardware store usually cannot reach past the first bend. A contractor uses a rod and brush system built to travel the whole length and clear lint out the far end.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take more than one cycle to dry, a dryer that runs hot to the touch, and a burning smell are the main signs. You might also notice the outside vent hood flap barely moves when the dryer runs, which means airflow is restricted. A clogged vent is a fire risk, so any of these signs is worth acting on.