Dryer Vent Cleaning in Hardin, MT
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Cold air turns lint into a wall in the vent
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air, and that air is moving through a vent that runs cold for most of the year here. Homes in Big Horn County need heat from September through June, and on winter nights that average 14 degrees, the metal of that vent runs cold too. The moment warm air hits it, the air cools fast and the moisture in it has to go somewhere. It lands on the inside walls of the vent, and lint sticks to it there instead of blowing on outside.
That buildup narrows the vent a little at a time. A dryer that cannot push air out fully starts taking longer to dry a load, and the heat it should be venting outside stays trapped in the duct instead.
- 14°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?
- Most manufacturers recommend cleaning the vent once a year. Households that run several loads a day should have it checked more often, since more use means more lint moving through the duct. A clean vent also helps the dryer run the way it's supposed to, since a clogged one has to work harder to get clothes dry.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the parts you can reach, but you likely can't clean the whole vent yourself. Pulling the dryer out and vacuuming the first few feet of duct, along with clearing lint from the vent hood outside, is something most homeowners can manage. The trouble is the rest of the run, especially if it has turns in it, where lint collects out of reach of a household vacuum or a short brush. A contractor uses rods and brushes built to clean the full length of the duct, and that's the only way to know it's actually clear.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take longer than one cycle to dry is the clearest sign. Others include the outside of the dryer feeling hot to the touch, a burning smell during a cycle, the vent hood flap barely opening when the dryer runs, and heavy lint around the lint trap or the outside vent opening. Any one of these on its own is worth checking, and if more than one shows up at the same time, it's a good reason to get the vent looked at soon.