It’s easy to forget about cleaning your dryer exhaust vent… But a clogged vent can lead to bigger problems. Here are 7 signs it’s time to change your vent now.
Every year, there are almost 3,000 fires that start in American homes as a direct result of clothes dryers. These fires kill around five people, injured about 100 others, and lead to $35 million worth of property damage.
Many of these clothes dryer fires are avoidable, too. More than 30% of them start because people fail to clean their dryer exhaust vents on a regular basis.
When is the last time that you got around to cleaning your dryer exhaust vent? If it’s been a while now, you should consider doing it to reduce your chances of starting a clothes dryer fire.
Here are seven telltale signs that’ll let you know that your dryer exhaust vent needs to be cleaned ASAP.
Your Dryer Is Taking Longer Than Usual to Dry Clothes
On average, clothes dryers take about 30 to 45 minutes to dry a single load of clothing.
They might take a little longer than that for larger loads. But no matter how many clothes you put into your dryer, it shouldn’t take well over an hour for them to dry.
If you’re finding that your clothes dryer is taking way longer to dry clothes than it used to, take it as a sign that you need to have your dryer exhaust vent cleaned. A dirty vent can prevent your dryer from drying your clothes effectively.
Find out more about some of the other reasons why your clothes might not be drying quickly enough before you opt to have your vent cleaned.
Your Clothes Are Very Hot When They Emerge From the Dryer
There is nothing quite like stepping out of the shower and putting on a pair of clothes that came straight out of the dryer. It feels especially nice when it’s cold outside and your clothes heat you up.
However, your clothes shouldn’t be too warm when you take them out of the dryer. If they feel as though they’re going to burn your skin, it means that your dryer is getting way too hot for one reason or another.
Your dryer exhaust vent could be to blame for this. By having it cleaned, you can decrease the temperature in your dryer when it’s in the process of drying clothes.
Your Laundry Room Is Starting to Feel Like a Sauna
When you walk into your laundry room while your dryer is running, it might feel a little bit warm. That’s normal and not anything to be too concerned about.
But if you walk into your laundry room when your dryer is on and you immediately break into a sweat, that is a problem! It’s yet another indication that your dryer is getting too hot while it’s drying your clothing.
Crack a window to allow some of the heat to escape from your laundry room if you can. Then, schedule dryer exhaust vent cleaning right away so that you don’t encounter this issue anymore.
There Is Lots of Lint in Your Dryer’s Lint Trap All the Time
You and your family should get into the habit of removing lint from your dryer’s lint trap every time you go to dry a load of laundry. There is going to be at least a little lint in the trap after each load.
But if you begin to see that you have an overwhelming amount of lint in your lint trap at almost all times, you shouldn’t simply continue to empty the lint trap out. Instead, you should figure out why there is that much lint in the trap.
Your dryer exhaust vent could be causing lint to back up in your dryer and get stuck in your trap. By cleaning the vent, you can reduce the amount of lint that you find in your trap after every load.
Debris Is Forming Around the Outside of Your Dryer Vent Opening
There is a dryer exhaust vent opening outside of your home that blows hot air when you’re drying laundry. It’s a small opening, but it plays a very important role in the well-being of your dryer.
Take a look at it every now and then and make sure there isn’t a bunch of debris forming on the ground beneath it. If there is, it’ll be a sign that you need to clean your vent as soon as you can to prevent more debris from building up.
Your Dryer Vent Hood Flap Isn’t Opening As It Should
In order to prevent insects, debris, and cold air from getting into your dryer vent opening, there is a hood flap that sits over the top of it. This hood flap should open up when your dryer is running to allow hot air to escape from your dryer.
When your dryer vent is backed up and in desperate need of cleaning, though, this hood flap won’t always open as it should. This can, as you might imagine, cause all kinds of major issues if you don’t fix it.
By cleaning your dryer vent, you’ll allow this hood flap to stay open when you’re drying clothes. Doing this will reduce the chances of a clothes dryer fire starting.
You Can’t Remember the Last Time You Had Your Dryer Vent Cleaned
Your dryer exhaust vent should be cleaned about once every year. If you’ve been living in your home for several years now and haven’t ever had it cleaned, change that!
It doesn’t cost much to have a dryer vent cleaned. But you could really pay the price if you put off doing it for too long.
Arrange to Have Your Dryer Exhaust Vent Cleaned Today
Your clothes dryer is one of the most important appliances in your home. Using it sure beats taking your clothes outside and hanging them on a line to air dry all the time.
But to make the most of your clothes dryer, you need to maintain it over time. Cleaning your dryer exhaust vent is something that must be done to prevent your dryer from starting a fire.
Check out our blog for more tips on maintaining washing machines and clothes dryers.
