Benefits of Cleaning Dryer Vents

18.09.2024

Brooke Kirshne

Do you remember when was the last time you cleaned your dryer vents? Or do you know that your dryer vent also needs to be cleaned? If you answer these two questions that you don’t know, then don’t worry because your luck brings you here today. Many individuals forget that they have a dryer vent, and that’s the reason not cleaning a dryer vent has become a common problem. For those who don’t know about dryer vents, it is a tube that runs from a clothes dryer to the outside of your home.

Your dryer vent needs to be cleaned properly regularly so it works efficiently and keeps your clothes dry. If you don’t clean your dryer vents properly, then you will have to face some negative impacts, like your clothes will not dry properly. Now you must be thinking, Is there a benefit to cleaning your dryer vents regularly? The short answer to this question is yes, and in this blog, you are going to learn all of the benefits of clean dryer vents. So read carefully every section of this blog.

How Dryer Vent Works And Its Types

Dryer vents are essential for safely expelling hot, moist air produced during the drying process of clothes. In this section, you are about to learn how a dryer vent works. Here is step by step process of a dryer vent:

Step 1: In the beginning process the hot air circulates inside the clothes dryer so it can absorb moisture from wet clothes.
Step 2: When the air takes all of the moisture from the clothes it goes to the lint trap. In here lint which is released by clothes are captured.
Step 3: From the lint trap the air is pushed to the dryer vent with the help of an exhaust fan.
Step 4: In the final step all of the hot and moist air goes outside of the house or building from a vent exit that is the end of the dryer vent.

Many types of dryer vent hoses are available on the market, and all of these hoses have different features and construction. So here are some of the best dryer vent hoses:

Semi-Rigid Metal

The semi-rigid metal is made of aluminum partially. These tubes are smoother from the inside, which is the reason they have less lint retention. This type of dryer vent hose is superior to the ones made of foil. It is recommended that these vent hoses shouldn't be used for the whole venting system.

Rigid Metal Duct

The rigid metal ducts are one of the best types of dryer vent hoses because these hoses are very smooth from the inside and capture the least amount of lint in them. For individuals who are looking for a safe option for vent hoses, then rigid metal duct is a great choice.

Slim Duct

The slim duct, also known as the periscope duct, is made of rigid metal, allowing users to push the dryer back near the wall. These types of hoses have a wide rectangular shape, and they are very helpful in saving space in your home. Installation of slim ducts can sometimes be tricky.

Aluminum Foil Duct

The aluminum foil ducts are a budget-friendly and easily available option. These hoses are designed in accordion style (looks like a German instrument). These hoses have cylindrical shapes because of the coiled metal wire. These types of dryer vent ducts are inflammable.

Why You Should Clean Dryer Vents?

Many people think that dryer lint and vent are the same thing but that’s not true. These two things are part of your home’s dryer, and both of these things have different functions. The lint trap helps to capture a huge amount of lint from every laundry cycle. On the other hand, the dryer vent is located behind the dryer, and its function is to release the hot air outside of your home that comes from the dryer vent. When lint is not captured by the lint trap it goes to the dryer vent and this can cause clogging to your dryer vent.

Clogging affects the efficiency of the dryer vent, and if you clean the lint trap regularly and not the dryer vent, then particles like debris start building inside the vent. A high amount of debris inside your dryer vent system can make it reach the limit of the dryer’s heating element. The lint is a highly flammable thing so it can catch fire if your dyer becomes too hot. So this is the reason that you should clean your dryer vent once every year.

As you can understand by reading the above section, cleaning your dryer vent is very important, but do you know that cleaning comes with many benefits? If not, then this section will help you to learn the benefits of cleaning dryers. Here are some of them:

Reduces Energy Consumption

Cleaning your dryer vent reduces the time of using the dryer, and this decreases the amount of energy used while running the vent. Your bills will increase if you don’t clean the vent properly because you may need to use your dryer vent more often to dry your clothes. Cleaning the vents helps it to run smoothly, and it becomes more efficient. The dryer vent energy consumption also depends on the equipment you have to dry the clothes. You can save energy consumption by decreasing its use to half for a week and if you do that over a year, you will save a lot of your money.

Improves Drying Times

Individuals who use their dryer vent more often to dry their clothes with the help of many drying cycles will not need to do that if they clean their dryer vent. A dirty vent stops the moist air inside the dryer and it can’t escape by a normal drying cycle. When the airflow is decreased inside the dryer vent, the moisture on your clothes doesn’t evaporate that easily. A clean vent is free of debris, which increases its dryer capabilities, and the vent doesn't need to work to dry clothes, this positively impacts the drying cycle, which means your clothes will start drying fast.

Reduces Damages To Clothes

Drying vent cleaning regularly can help you in the prevention of clothes damage. A dirty vent makes it hard to dry your clothes, and that makes your clothes face heat for a longer duration, and this can cause damage. A decrease in the time spent drying your garments will also decrease the damage. A study conducted by the American Chemical Society shows that cotton clothes can have significant damage if they are exposed to high temperatures for a long time. Cleaning the dryer vent increases the life of your clothes so that you can wear them for a long time.

Prevent Dryer Fires

A clogged dryer is one of the major causes of fires in dryers, as you learned in the previous section. An agency known as the National Fire Protection Agency researched the causes of home fires, and they found that one-third of fires are caused due to uncleaned dryer vents in the U.S. Cleaning the dryer once a year can decrease the chances of fire and help you to keep your dryer safe. By taking the help of a professional, you can decrease the amount of lint in the dryer, and that will prevent the risk of fire occurrence.

Increases Dryer Life

The dryer vent can cleaning can also increase its life. A clogged system can affect the proper airflow, which exposes your machine to heat consistently. This decreases the time of drying clothes which means your dryer needs to work hard to do its job. Remember, every time you use your clogged dryer, the amount of lint inside it will increase, and that can cause damage and affect its overall life. A clean dryer vent doesn’t need to work hard and work efficiently for a long time without any problems.

Reduces Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Risk

People who have a gas dryer rather than a clogged vent can increase the risk of carbon monoxide entering your home. When the gas your dryer is producing can’t go through the clogged vent, then it will be released into your home, and this will affect the indoor air quality negatively. You will smell a burning odor when you use your dryer, and if you do stop your dryer quickly and ask a professional to check the dryer vent. The smell is an indication of carbon monoxide leakage. So cleaning your vent regularly can save you from inhaling this toxic gas that can affect your health.

Prevent Allergens

The formation of allergens is one of the major problems of a dirty vent. The vent traps water that comes from wet clothes, and after this, it attracts allergens from particles like mold, dust, and many more. After some period, these allergens can go into your home, and because of this, you may develop allergic symptoms like cough, congestion, and other symptoms. Cleaning the dryer vent can help you to prevent allergies and provide a healthy life.

How Often should I Clean My Dryer Vents?

According to the United States Fire Administration, you should clean your dryer vent at least once every year. For individuals who have never done a cleaning or it's been a year since you last cleaned the vent, then it is time to call a professional to give you aid in this situation. The frequency of cleaning your dryer vents can also increase if you use it more often and dry too many clothes regularly. When you don’t clean the vent, lint starts building inside it, and you will get signs like a musty smell in your dried clothes, a burning smell while using the dryer, clothes taking a long time to dry, and many more. So when you start noticing these signs, that means your vent requires cleaning.

Should You Clean The Dryer Vent By Yourself?

If you are thinking that you should clean your dryer vent, then you should know some things before doing anything to the vent. Cleaning the dryer vent can be dangerous for your dryer and you also. On the internet, you will find a lot of wrong information related to cleaning your vent. As the old people say, wrong information can lead anyone to disaster, so in this case you may end up harming your vent instead of fixing the problem. Cleaning the vent without proper training and tools can make you face some negative impacts like damaging the duct and if you are not experienced you may cause a fire.

If you are someone who doesn’t have experience in cleaning dryer vents, then hiring a professional is the best option. It is always recommended that you call a professional who is trained and knows how to work safely. These professionals will help you in preventing fire and keep your dryer working at peak efficiency.

Professional vs. DIY Cleaning

When the matter comes to cleaning your dryer vent, you have two different approaches and that is professional and DIY cleaning. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. In this section, you are about to learn about both types of cleaning methods and here they are:

Professional Cleaning

Taking the help of a professional can provide you with many benefits. An expert will have the proper training and experience for cleaning your dryer vent. With the help of specialized tools like high-powered vacuums and rotary brushes, an expert will be able to provide a deep cleaning of the vent. This will ensure that your vent is properly clean and don’t need a cleaning for until one year.

DIY Cleaning

The DIY cleaning method is a budget-friendly method for cleaning your dryer vent. You can clean the vent with the help of a vacuum, brushes, and some elbow grease. This will help you to remove lint and debris that are visible to you. For guidance, you can take the help of online resources that provide information regarding cleaning the dryer vent. Remember you may not be able to clean the vent deeply because you don’t have any special equipment.

Conclusion

Drying your clothes can be a problem in a situation where you have lots of clothes to dry. In this kind of situation, a clothes dryer helps you a lot; it helps to dry your clothes much faster. The dryer vent is an important part of a dryer because it consumes all of the heat, air, and moisture from the clothes, but there is a problem with it. Some people forget about the dryer vents; due to this they never clean them, which can cause problems like high energy consumption, an increase in time to dry clothes, burning smells, and many more.

So it is important to clean your dryer vent once a year so it can work efficiently and provide you benefits like increased dryer life, prevented clothes damage from heat, increased clothes life, prevention of carbon monoxide leakage, and many more. Individuals should avoid cleaning the vent by themselves, and it is highly recommended to bring a professional to clean the dryer vent properly. An expert can help you detect other problems related to your dryer too. So keep your dryer vent clean and have an efficient cloth drying system in your home. In case you are searching for an HVAC air filter Custom Filters Direct will provide you best customized air filters. Contact us at (877) 749-1748.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What Are The Signs That My Dryer Vents Need Cleaning?

When the dryer vent requires a cleaning it will give you some signs and it is very important to notice them on time. The first and the most common sign is that your clothes are taking too much time to dry. Second is that your laundry room’s humidity level has increased, this happens because the vent is throwing back all of the hot and moist air into your house.

What Tools Do I Need To Clean Dryer Vents?

To clean your dryer vent by yourself you need three important tools: a vacuum, brushes, and a little bit of elbow grease. These three things help you to clean lint and debris that are stuck inside the vent, but you can only clean those substances that are visible to your eyes. For proper dryer vent cleaning, it is recommended to take the help of a professional.

How Long Does A Dryer Vent Cleaning Take?

The time that it takes to clean the dryer vent depends on the size of the vent and the amount of dirt inside it. The cleaning process might take around one hour in residential places. The cleaning procedure can exceed more than an hour in commercial properties. If an individual doesn’t clean their vent for more than a year, then it must have a lot of dirt inside which also increases the time of vent cleaning.

Can I Use My Dryer While Waiting For It To Be Cleaned?

No, you can’t use your dryer while the dryer vent is being cleaned. When you use your dryer, all of the hot, moist air, which is filled with lint, goes to the lint trap, and from there, it goes to the vent. So all of the air and dirt will make it impossible for the person who is cleaning the vent. It is wise to wait until the vent is cleaned properly.

Is Professional Dryer Vent Cleaning Worth It?

Yes, professional dryer vent cleaning is worth the money in the long term. An expert will have proper training and experience related to vent cleaning. The expert will use special equipment such as a high-powered vacuum and rotary brushes, which will clean the vent deeply and ensure that your vent is cleaned from every corner.

What Materials Can Block Dryer Vents?

Your dryer vent can get blocked by materials like lint and debris. During a drying cycle, all of the hot air, which is filled with lint and dirt, goes to the lint trap, but some particles don’t get trapped and go directly to your dryer vent. Over time, a small amount of lint and dirt starts building up inside the vent and blocks it.

How Can I Maintain My Dryer Vent After Cleaning?

You can maintain your dryer vent after its cleaning by following some small steps. Always clean your lint trap after each drying cycle because this will ensure that the trap is capturing lint efficiently. Cutting off your weekly clothes drying cycle to half can be very beneficial for your dryer vent, and by doing this, the life of the vent increases.

How Lint Builds Inside The Dryer Vent?

The reason behind lint buildup inside the dryer vent is the lint trap not capturing all of the lint. When the lint trap lets lint pass, it falls directly into the dryer vent, and over time, lint starts building up inside the vent. If this issue isn’t fixed quickly, your dryer’s efficiency will start decreasing, affecting the life of your clothes and your machine.

Can A Dirty Dryer Vent Negatively Affect The Clothes?

Yes, a dirty dryer vent can negatively affect your clothes during a drying cycle. It happens because a dirty or clogged vent will not let the hot air escape outside your house, and this will make your clothes exposed to heat for a long time. When your clothes, especially cotton fabrics, are exposed to high temperatures, they can get damaged over time.

Can A Dryer Vent Decrease Indoor Air Quality?

Yes, a dryer vent can negatively impact the indoor air quality in your home. If your dryer vent is clogged and has not been cleaned in a while, it can throw back hot, moist air into your house. This air is mixed with moisture, dust, and other particles, which can affect the quality of the air inside your home.

Can A Clogged Dryer Vent Affect The Environment Of My Home?

Yes, a clogged dryer vent can affect the environment of your home. Not only does it decrease the quality of the air, but it can also be a fire hazard. Over time, lint starts building up inside the vent, and if the vent is clogged, the hot air can’t escape. Lint is a flammable substance, and at high temperatures, it can catch fire, which could be dangerous.

How To Find A Professional For Dryer Vent Cleaning?

An easy way to find a professional for your dryer vent cleaning is by searching the internet. Many organizations provide vent cleaning services. Check customer reviews to find the best one, and then contact them via email or phone.

Does A Dryer Vent Come With Insurance?

No, dryer vents do not come with insurance. However, many home insurance plans include maintenance coverage for home appliances, including your dryer vent. It’s advisable to consider insurance plans that cover home equipment maintenance.