Dryer Vent Cleaning in El Paso, TX
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Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold nights turn dryer lint into a stuck-on problem
Every load of laundry sends warm, damp air down the vent and out of the house. On winter nights that average 32°F from December through February, that air cools fast once it hits the metal duct. The moisture in it beads up on the inside walls of the vent, and the lint riding along with it sticks there instead of blowing out the hood.
Layer after layer builds up the same way over a cold season. A vent that's narrowed by stuck lint makes the dryer push harder to move air, and it gives any spark or hot surface something to catch on.
- 32°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 general rule for most households. If you run large loads often, or your vent run is long with a lot of turns, it's worth having it checked more often than that. Lint builds up along the inside of the duct and behind the wall, not just in the trap, so a clean lint screen every load doesn't tell you what's happening further down the line.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the first few feet from the back of the dryer yourself, but that's not the whole vent. Most runs go through a wall and out to a hood on the outside of the house, with bends you can't see or reach with a vacuum. A contractor uses a brush and rod system built to clear the full length and check that the vent hood flap outside is opening and closing like it should.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes taking longer than usual to dry is the first sign, and it's the one most people notice. Others include the outside of the dryer feeling hot to the touch, a burnt smell during the cycle, or little to no airflow when you hold your hand near the outside vent hood while the dryer runs. Lint collecting around the hood itself, instead of blowing clear, means air isn't moving through the duct the way it needs to.