Dryer Vent Cleaning in Watertown, WI
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It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold vents catch lint faster in Watertown winters
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air, and that air needs to clear the vent before it cools. On a night near 15 degrees, the metal cools fast, and the moisture in that exhaust turns to dampness on the vent walls. Lint sticks to a damp surface a lot easier than a dry one.
That buildup narrows the vent a little more with each load. A duct that is partly blocked forces the dryer to push harder to clear the same air, and the heat has nowhere to go but back into the machine.
- 15°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 the general rule for most households. A vent that runs long or has a lot of turns traps more lint along the way, so it needs attention sooner than a short, straight run to the outside wall. If you notice clothes drying slower than they used to, do not wait for the year mark, get it checked then.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the lint trap and the first few feet of duct yourself, but the full vent run is harder to reach. Most vents run several feet through a wall or ceiling to the outside hood, and a lint brush kit only goes so far before you lose the ability to tell if it actually reached the end. A contractor uses a rotating brush and a vacuum built for the job, and can check that the outside vent hood opens and closes 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, and a burning smell are the clearest signs. Check the outside vent hood too. If the flap barely moves or you don't feel much air coming out when the dryer runs, lint is likely blocking the line, and that weak flow at the hood is often the first thing you notice, before the dryer itself starts acting up.