Dryer Vent Cleaning in Peoria, IL
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Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold vents make the lint stick
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air every time it runs. From October through May, that vent runs through a house that needs heat to fight off nights averaging 20°F. The air cools fast inside the cold metal, and the moisture in it settles on the walls of the vent. Lint sticks to those damp walls instead of blowing through to the outside.
Over a winter, that buildup narrows the path the air has to take. The dryer has to push harder to move the same load of wet clothes out. A vent that stays clogged holds onto heat and moisture with nowhere to go.
- 20°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 8 months
- October 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. A vent with a long run or a lot of turns is worth checking more often, since lint has more places to catch along the way. If you notice clothes drying slower than they used to, don't wait for the year mark to check it.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clear the first few feet behind the dryer and the hood outside, and that's worth doing. What you can't reach is the lint sitting in the duct between the wall and the outside vent, especially if it runs any real distance or turns a corner. A contractor uses a brush and vacuum sized for the full run, not just the ends of it.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take two cycles to dry, a dryer that runs hot to the touch, and a burning smell are the main ones. Check the outside hood too. If the flap barely moves or you feel weak airflow when the dryer is running, the vent is blocked somewhere in between. A dryer working against a clogged vent also runs longer than it should, which adds wear on the heating element with every load.