Dryer Vent Cleaning in Memphis, TN
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It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold air in the vent line is what causes the lint buildup
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air every time it runs. From November through March, with nights averaging 34°F, that air hits a cold vent and cools fast. The moisture in it has somewhere to go, and the lint riding along with it sticks to the damp walls of the duct instead of blowing outside.
Over a winter that buildup narrows the vent. Air backs up instead of venting out, and a dryer working against that resistance runs hotter and longer than it should.
- 34°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 5 months
- November through March, the vent stays cold
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NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- How often should a dryer vent be cleaned?
- Once a year is the standard rule for most households. If you dry clothes for a large household, or you notice towels and jeans taking longer than they used to, clean it more often than that. Lint builds up along the length of the duct, not just at the ends, so a yearly cleaning keeps it from narrowing the airway.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the first few feet near the dryer and the outside vent hood yourself, but that only reaches part of the duct. The lint that causes real blockages tends to collect further down the run, out of reach of a household vacuum or brush. A contractor uses rods and brushes built to travel the whole length of the duct and pull lint out rather than push it further in.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes coming out hot to the touch but still damp is the clearest sign. Others include the dryer running longer than it used to, the outside vent hood barely pushing out air when the dryer runs, a burning smell, or lint collecting around the lint trap door or outside vent opening. Any one of these means airflow is restricted somewhere along the duct.