Dryer Vent Cleaning in Vermillion, SD
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It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold air turns dryer lint into a wall of buildup
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air every time it runs. Once that air hits the cold vent walls, it cools fast, and the moisture in it gives the lint something to stick to instead of blowing straight outside. Vermillion winters help that along. Nights average 13°F from December through February, and the vent stays cold for the eight months a year homes here need heat.
Lint that sticks builds up layer by layer instead of clearing out. A vent narrowed by buildup forces the dryer to push harder to move the same air, and it takes longer for a load to dry.
- 13°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 8 months
- October through May, 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 right for most homes. If you run the dryer for a big household or dry a lot of loads a week, check it sooner, since more use means more lint moving through that duct. A vent that runs long and has a few turns in it also fills up faster than a short, straight one.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the lint trap and the first few feet of duct yourself with a vent brush kit. What you can't reach is the rest of the run to the outside wall, especially if it's long or has bends, and that's where lint tends to pack in tight. A contractor has brushes and a shop vacuum built for the full length of the vent, plus a way to check the hood outside is actually flapping open when the dryer runs.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take more than one cycle to dry is the biggest sign. Others are a dryer that runs hot to the touch, a burning smell, lint showing up around the door seal, or the outside vent hood barely moving air when you hold your hand near it. Any of these means the vent needs a look before you run another load.