Your dryer pushes hot, moist air and lint through a vent to the outside of your home. Over time lint accumulates in the vent line, reducing airflow, forcing your dryer to work harder, and creating a significant fire hazard. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that failure to clean dryer vents is the leading cause of dryer fires. Healthy Homes cleans dryer vent systems from the dryer connection through to the exterior exhaust, removing all lint accumulation and checking for crimps, blockages, or damage that restrict airflow. If your dryer is taking longer than one cycle to dry a load, running hotter than usual, or if it’s been more than a year since your vent was cleaned, it’s time to schedule a cleaning.
At least once a year for most households. More frequently if you do many loads per week, have a large family, or if your dryer vent line is long or has multiple bends.
Clothes taking more than one cycle to dry, the dryer running hot to the touch, a burning smell when the dryer runs, excessive lint around the exhaust vent, or it’s been more than a year since the last cleaning.
You can clean the short section behind the dryer yourself, but professional cleaning reaches the full length of the vent line including sections you can’t access, where most dangerous buildup occurs.
Preventive maintenance like dryer vent cleaning is generally not covered by homeowner’s insurance. However, damage from a dryer fire caused by a clogged vent may be, which is another reason to stay current on cleaning.
