Dryer Vent Cleaning in Seattle, WA
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Cold vents catch lint, warm vents don't
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air, and that air has to travel through a vent that runs through cold space before it reaches outside. On a winter night here, when the temperature is down near 32°F, that vent is cold all the way through. The warm air cools fast, and when it does, the moisture in it turns back to water on the inside walls of the vent. Lint sticks to a wet surface far more than a dry one, so it builds up right there instead of blowing out the hood.
That buildup narrows the vent a little more each time the dryer runs. Air moves slower, so clothes take longer to dry, and the dryer works harder to push exhaust through a smaller opening. The lint stays put and keeps collecting until something clears it out.
- 32°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?
- Once a year for most households. If you run large loads often, or the vent run is long, check it more often than that. Lint builds up along the whole length of the duct, not just at the lint trap, and a year is usually long enough for enough of it to collect and slow the airflow down.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the first few feet, but that is not the same as cleaning the vent. A vent brush kit reaches the section behind the dryer and through the wall, and that is worth doing yourself. The rest of the run, especially if it goes up through a roof or turns corners, needs a longer rod system or a vacuum strong enough to pull lint out from the far end. A contractor can clear the whole line and check that the vent hood outside is actually opening and closing the way it should.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take more than one cycle to dry, a dryer that runs hot to the touch on the outside, and a burning smell during the cycle are the main ones. You might also notice less air coming out of the vent hood outside when the dryer is running, or lint collecting around the hood itself. Any of these on their own is worth a look. All of them together means the vent needs clearing soon, since a blocked vent is also a common cause of dryer fires.