Dryer Vent Cleaning in Durango, CO
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Cold air turns dryer lint into a wall inside your vent
The air coming off your dryer is warm and full of moisture. Once it hits the cold vent run, especially on a night near 16°F, it cools fast, and the moisture that comes out of it leaves the walls of the vent damp. Lint sticks to damp metal instead of blowing through to the outside. Over a winter that buildup narrows the vent, then a full length of it can pack solid.
A blocked vent has nowhere to send the heat and moisture your dryer puts out, so both back up into the house. It also means your dryer works harder to push air through a smaller opening, and that strain is on it for ten months of the year here, from September through June.
- 16°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 10 months
- September through June, the vent stays cold
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- How often should a dryer vent be cleaned?
- Once a year is the standard most contractors work from. A dryer that's working harder to push air through a dirty vent wears out sooner, so keeping it on a schedule protects the machine as much as anything else. If you notice drying times creeping up before the year is out, don't wait for the schedule to catch up.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the first few feet on your own with a vacuum or a brush from a store, but that only reaches part of the run. A contractor uses a rod system or a power brush built to clear the full length of the vent and the hood at the outside exit. Lint that collects further down the line won't show up until it's already slowing the dryer down.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take more than one cycle to dry, a dryer that feels hot to the touch on the outside, or a burning smell when it runs are the clearest signs. You might also notice the vent hood flap outside barely moves when the dryer is on, which means air isn't getting through. Any of these on their own is worth a look, since a blocked vent makes the dryer run hotter than it should.