Don't Overlook Your Dryer Vent This Winter

There's always something to be done around the house, from gutter cleaning and water heaters to landscaping and smoke detectors. If you don't have this already, it's time to add dryer vent cleaning to your checklist. Maybe move it to the top of the list for good measure.

Dryers are such an overlooked appliance in the home that is seemingly always running in the background. Sometimes we'll remember to clean the lint trap, but for the most part, we simply expect the appliance to do its job with little to no maintenance. However, cleaning your dryer vents annually, either as a DIY project or by hiring a reputable HVAC contractor, is one of the easiest ways to prevent thousands of dollars in damage and save lives. 

When you run the dryer, you rely on the machine to pull all the moisture from your clothes, towels, and sheets. But the moisture needs somewhere to go! The dryer vent safely exhausts excess moisture and gasses like carbon monoxide out of your home. Over time, all of that moisture and lint can build up along the interior and exterior vents, as well as the tubing connecting the two. A blockage anywhere along this point can cause massive headaches.

Here's what's at risk when you don't check dryer vent cleaning off your list.

Risk of Fire

Lint is extremely flammable. The more lint that builds up in your venting system, the higher the risk of combustion. The National Fire Protection Agency estimates dirty and poorly maintained dryer vents cause 15,000 structure fires each year. If you don't pay attention, you might only be one load away from a condo fire! 

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Your dryer vent critically exhausts CO from the drying machine to the outdoors. A clogged vent pipe puts you and your family at risk. Gases can back up the venting system and seep into your laundry room, and from there, your home. Once you've cleaned your dryer vent, make sure you check your carbon monoxide detectors for good measure.

Inefficient Energy Use

If the dryers' purpose is to remove moisture, but the moisture has nowhere to go, then your machine will take much longer to get the job done. This will lead to energy inefficiencies and a higher electricity bill. Studies show that a poorly maintained dryer vent can increase energy costs by 30%.

Unwanted Pests

What is it you daydream about during a cold, Vermont winter? If you didn't say skiing, ice fishing, sledding, or any of the other winter activities we love, you likely answered 'a warm, tropical beach'. Well, birds and rodents are thinking the same thing and see your open and clogged dryer vent as a nice warm place to call home. Avoid the headache of bringing an exterminator in by cleaning your vents once a year and making sure the exterior hood flap shuts completely.

Signs of a Poorly Ventilated Dryer

Now that you added dryer vent cleaning to your to-do list, here's what to look for until the afternoon you can get to it.

• Clothes take longer than normal or multiple cycles to dry.
• Drying machine and clothes are very hot to the touch.
• Moldy smell to your clothes.
• Lint on your clothing.
• Dryer repeatedly stops during a cycle.
• Burning smell from the dryer.

If you're gearing up for winter, check out the rest of our winter blog series:
How to Prepare Your Home for Winter
Tips for Winter Prep in Vermont
How to Prevent (and Fix) Frozen Pipes