Dryer Vent Cleaning in Wausau, WI
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It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold vents make lint stick
Your dryer pushes warm, damp air out through the vent. Once that air hits a vent run sitting in a cold attic or crawlspace, it cools fast. On a night near 9°F, it cools almost as soon as it leaves the drum. The moisture in it condenses on the inside of the vent, and lint clings to those damp walls instead of blowing outside.
That buildup narrows the vent a little more each month. Air backs up, the dryer runs longer to dry a load, and the exhaust that should be leaving the house stays trapped in the duct instead.
- 9°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 9 months
- September 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 households. Households that do more laundry, or run a dryer harder, should have it checked more often. The vent run matters too. A long duct or one with several turns collects lint faster than a short straight one, so it may need attention sooner.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the part you can reach, but that is usually not the whole job. Pulling the dryer out and vacuuming the first few feet of duct, plus clearing the lint trap and the vent hood outside, is worth doing regularly. What you cannot see is the rest of the run behind the wall, and lint builds up there too. A contractor uses a rod and brush system that reaches the full length of the duct, which is the part most homeowners cannot clean on their own.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take longer than they used to, or come out still damp on a normal cycle, is the first sign. The dryer itself may feel hot to the touch on the outside, or the room heats up while it is running. Check the vent hood outside too. If little to no air is moving out of it while the dryer runs, the duct is blocked somewhere along the line.