Dryer Vent Cleaning in Columbus, MS
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It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold air in the vent is what lets lint stick
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air every time it runs. Once that air hits the cold vent, especially on nights near 35 degrees from December through February, it cools fast, and the moisture in it turns to a film on the vent walls. Lint sticks to that film instead of blowing through to the outside.
Over a winter that buildup narrows the vent. Air moves slower, so the dryer takes longer to dry a load, and it runs hotter than it should while doing it.
- 35°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 for most households. If you run big loads often, or you have a long vent run with a lot of turns, once a year is still the mark to aim for, since lint builds up the same way either way. A clean vent lets the dryer push air all the way outside instead of fighting to get it there.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the section right behind the dryer yourself, and that's worth doing between full cleanings. Pull the dryer out, disconnect the vent, and clear out what's caught at that end. The rest of the run, especially if it goes up through a wall or out through the roof, is harder to reach and harder to check once you've cleaned it, which is why most people have that part done by someone with the right equipment.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take longer than they used to, or come out hot to the touch but still damp, are the clearest sign. You might also notice the outside vent hood barely moves when the dryer is running, or the room around the dryer gets warmer than it should. Lint building up around the lint trap door or the outside vent flap is another sign worth checking.