Most people clean the lint screen after every load and figure that’s the job done. It helps, but plenty of lint gets past the screen and ends up in the vent line that runs from the back of your dryer to the outside of the house. Over time that line narrows, the dryer works harder, and things start to go wrong.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there are nearly 3,000 clothes dryer fires in homes every year, and failure to clean is the leading cause, at about a third of them. Here are the signs your vent is telling you it’s time.
1. Clothes take two cycles to dry
This is the big one. A dryer needs to push hot, wet air out of the house. When the vent is partly blocked, that moisture has nowhere to go, so a normal load of towels comes out damp and you end up running it again. If drying times have crept up over the past few months, look at the vent before you blame the dryer.
2. The dryer or laundry room gets really hot
A dryer should feel warm on the outside, not hot. If the top of the machine is hot to the touch or the laundry room turns into a sauna every time you run a load, heat is building up inside instead of venting out.
3. A burning smell
Lint is very flammable. If you notice a burning or scorched smell while the dryer runs, stop it, unplug it and don’t use it again until the vent has been checked and cleaned. This is not one to wait on.
4. The outside flap barely moves
Go outside while the dryer is running and find the vent hood. You should feel a steady push of warm air and the flap should open. If the airflow is weak, or the flap doesn’t move at all, something is blocking the line.
5. Lint around the outside vent or behind the dryer
Lint piling up around the exterior vent, or gathering on the floor behind the machine, often means the line is full and lint is escaping wherever it can.
6. Clothes come out unusually hot
If your clothes are hot enough to make you pull your hand back, the dryer is likely running hotter than it should. That extra heat plus a lint-packed vent is exactly the combination you want to avoid.
7. It’s been more than a year
Even without warning signs, a yearly vent cleaning is a sensible habit for most households. Go more often if you run a lot of laundry, have pets that shed, or have a long vent run. Two-story homes and laundry rooms in the middle of the house often have long runs with several turns, and every bend is a place for lint to catch.
What you can do between cleanings
- Clean the lint screen before or after every load.
- Every so often, wash the screen with warm soapy water. Dryer sheets can leave a film that blocks airflow even when the screen looks clean.
- Check that the flexible duct behind the dryer isn’t crushed or kinked when you push the machine back against the wall.
- Never run the dryer while you’re asleep or away from home.
- Keep the area around the dryer clear of boxes, laundry piles and cleaning products.
Get your dryer vent cleaned in Houston
Key Cleaning and Restoration Services has been cleaning dryer vents and air ducts for Houston-area families since 2002. If you’re already planning an air duct cleaning, you can add the dryer vent to the same visit. Learn more on our dryer vent cleaning page, call (713) 570-6282 Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM, or request a quote online.