Dryer Vent Cleaning

by Heritage Appliance Repair
Mar 16, 2016

According to popular belief, just cleaning your lint trap in the dryer is enough right? Well, not exactly. A clothes dryer works much like a hair dryer, using forced hot air to extract moisture. In a clothes dryer, air is forced over the wet cloths, evaporating the moisture. Since this the dryer is self-contained, the hot air is exhausted through a vent that goes outside of your house/apartment.

So What's The Problem?

The dryer vent exhausts hot, moist air and, unfortunately, lint that isn't caught by your dryer's lint filter. What the lint trap catches is only a fraction of what is in the dryer. The problem comes from the fact that the exhaust contains both lint and moisture, which causes the lint to adhere to your exhaust ductwork and build-up over time, gradually constricting the duct. T his diminishes the efficiency of the dryer as the heat and moisture can't escape. If the vent is not cleaned out yearly, it can lead to not only a broken dryer but house fires as well. The lint trapped inside the dryer is highly flammable and trapped heat and lint is a bad combination.

However, there are warning signs to recognize this problem when it occurs. These telltale signs will help you notice something is not quite right:

1. Drying takes much longer than it used too. The first indication is when your clothes take longer to dry. When a dryer vent is clogged, the cycle for drying seems to never end as the clothes won't dry. You will notice when the clothes are still moist after being in the dryer even for over an hour. If the dryer vent is blocked by lint, it will start wearing down the dryer itself and limit the efficiency of the dryer.
2. The clothes just out of the dryer are damp and the dryer itself is HOT. The dryer should be room temperature or just slightly warmer. If the clothes dryer is blazing hot this means it is working overtime as heat is getting trapped. If this is the case the vent is most likely clogged and is keeping all the hot air inside the dryer. Since the lint is obstructing the vent, the heating mechanism will not work properly. This puts unneeded strain and wear on your dryer.
3. A burning smell is coming from the dryer. As previously stated, lint is flammable and will burn if it is trapped in your dryer. Worst case scenario, this can cause a fire if it is not taken care of immediately. You should discontinue use of your dryer and have it inspected as soon as possible.
4. The cover of the vent is not opening properly. Outside vents typically have a flapper over them that prevents animals, insects, or other undesired items from entering from the outside into your dryer. If your vent outside is not opening like it should, it is time to clean or repair it. Many times the combination of lint, heat, and moisture will stick the flapper shit and this why the flapper will not open like it should.
5. It has been a year or you do not remember the last time the vent was cleaned. This last sign is the biggest one of all. If you do not remember or you have never had it cleaned, you should do so quickly. The best way to get it cleaned is to call a professional, especially if you have never cleaned one before yourself.

How Heritage Appliance Repair can help

Heritage Appliance Repair has been fixing and cleaning dryers and dryer venting for 20+ years. We have seen every problem and every kind of vent. It does not matter what kind of brand dryer you have; we can clean the vent.

We use a process called RamAir. RamAir is the more efficient than any other product on the market to date for dryer vent cleaning.  Check out this video below to see how it works: 

Call Heritage Appliance Repair today to schedule a dryer vent inspection/cleaning today.